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Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcliive 

in  2007  witli  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/basketballliandboOOwardiala 


BOOKS  ON  SPORl 


Eath  izmo.     Profusely  Illustrated 


THE  PSYCHOLOGY  OF  TRAINING. 
PSYCHOLOGY  AND  ATHLETICS. 
By  Coleman  R.  Griffith. 

MAJOR  SPORT  FUNDAMENTALS. 
By  Charles  Edward  Hanunett. 

ICE  HOCKEY.     A  Manual  for  Player  and  Coach. 
By  Thomaa  Knight  Fisher. 

FIELD  HOCKEY  AND  SOCCER  FOR  WOMEN. 
By  Helen  Frost  and  Hazel  J.  Cubberley. 

TRAINING  FOR  SPORTS. 
ATHLETES  ALL. 

By  Walter  Camp. 

BASKET  BALL.     A   Handbook  for  Coaches  and 
Players. 

By  C.  D.  Wardlaw  and  W.  R.  Morrison. 

BASKET  BALL  AND  INDOOR  BASEBALL  FOR 
WOMEN. 

By  Helen  Frost  and  C.  D.  Wardlaw. 

BASEBALL.     Indiridoal  PUy  and  Team  PUy  In 
DeUil. 

By  W.  J.  Clarke  and  F.  T.  Dawson. 

ATHLETIC  TRAINING. 
By  Michael  C.  Murphy. 

CAMP  CRAFT.    Modem  Practice  and  Equipment. 
By  W.  H.  MiUer. 

SWIMMING  AND  DIVINO. 
By  Gerald  Barnes. 

FOOTBALL. 

By  J.  C.  Wilce. 

FUNDAMENTALS  OF  BASEBALL. 
By  C.  D.  WardUw. 


CHARLES  SCRTBNER'S  SONS 


BASKET  BALL 


II',;.   1.     COKkKCI    l.lAklMNt;. 
No  Personal  Contact. 


BASKET  BALL 

A  HANDBOOK  FOR  COACHES  AND  PLAYERS 


BY 
CHARLES  DIGBY  WARDLAW,  A.B. 

INSTKUCTOR     IN    ATHLETICS,    COLUMBIA    UNIVERSITY,     SUMMER    SMSIOMt 
PRINCIPAL,   WARDLAW   SCHOOL,    PLAIMFIBLD,    N.    J. 

o^AwnoR  or  "basket  ball  and  indoor  baseball  for  women" 
AND 

WHITELAW  REID  MORRISON,  A.M.,  M.D. 

paorsasoR  of  BraisNE  and  physical  education,  university  of  Cincinnati 

INSTRUCTOk   IN   BTCIENB   AND    ATHLETICS,    COLUMBIA    UNIVERSITY 
SUMMER   SESSIONS 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

JESSE  FEIRING  WILLIAMS,  A.M.,  M.D. 

ABaOOATE  PROFESSOR   OF   PHYSICAL    EDUCATION,   TEACHERS   COLLEOK, 
COLUMBIA  UHIVERSITY,'  NSW  YORK 


NEW  YORK 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1928 


117162 


ComioaT,  1921,  it 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Plioted  ia  the  Unittd  States  of  Amcticft 


GV 

PREFACE 

It  has  been  about  thirty  years  since  the  game 
of  basket  ball  was  invented.  In  all  that  time 
there  have  been  comparatively  few  articles  written 
or  books  published  on  this  sport,  which  has  be- 
come so  popular  in  America.  Throughout  ten 
years'  experience  in  coaching  and  teaching  in 
normal  schools,  colleges,  and  universities,  the 
authors  have  been  continually  impressed  by  the 
need  of  sufficient  material  on  this  subject. 

There  is  probably  little  in  this  volume  that  is 
new  to  the  experienced  college  player,  but  the 
authors  have  attempted  to  analyze  the  game  sci- 
entifically and  to  present  the  material  in  a  logical 
way. 

Men  prominent  in  basket  ball  throughout  the 
country  have  contributed  their  thought  to  this 
work,  and  it  is  a  source  of  regret  that  many  more 
could  not  have  been  consulted.  Appreciative  ac- 
knowledgment is  due  especially  to  Mr.  Edward 
Thorp,  coach  of  the  N.  Y.  U.  championship  team 
of  1919-20-21  and  prominent  basket-ball  official, 
for  reading  the  manuscript  and  checking  over  the 


vi  PREFACE 

diagrams;  Mr.  Ralph  S.  Patch,  of  the  Plainfield 
High  School;  Mr.  Chauncy  M.  Stewart,  for 
three  years  Cornell  'Varsity  forward;  Dr.  L.  B. 
Chenoweth,  University  of  Cincinnati;  Mr.  W.  D. 
Hartshome,  Jr.,  of  the  Wardlaw  School;  the 
basket-ball  class  of  the  summer  of  1920,  Colum- 
bia University,  who  worked  out  situations  pre- 
sented in  the  diagrams;  to  those  three  members 
who  posed  for  the  illustrations;  and  to  many 
other  friends  and  critics  whose  suggestions  and 
help  were  so  valuable  to  the  authors. 


CONTENTS 

ftmm 

Preface    v 

Introduction xi 

PART  I 

CBAPTBR 

I.    How  THE  Game  Is  Played  ....  3 

PLAYING   TERMS 5 

II.    Handling  the  Ball lo 

passing ii 

catching 19 

dribbling 21 

III.  Shooting 24 

IV.  Handling  of  the  Body 34 

STARTING 34 

STOPPING 36 

JUMPING 37 

PIVOTING 37 

DODGING 39 

PART  II 

V.    Positions 43 

GUARD 43 

FORWARD 50 

centre 53 

vii 


viii                               CONTENTS 
VI.    Offense 57 

SIGNALS 72 

DIAGRAMS 75 

VII.    Defense 131 

PART  III 

VIII.    The  Hygiene  of  Training  ....  145 

IX.     Special  Training  for  Play       .     .     .  189 

PLAN    OF   training 1 89 

systematic  practice 192 

development  of  the  team      .     .  i96 

conditioning 202 

picking  the  team 207 

injuries 212 

X.    Administration 222 

Conclusion 23c 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

nevMt 

1.  Correct  Guarding — No  Personal  Contact  .  Frontispiece 

TACINS  rAOB 

2.  Overhead  Pass 14 

3.  Chest  Pass i8 

4.  Side-Arm  Pass 20 

5.  Start  of  the  Underhand  Pass 24 

6.  Finish  of  the  Underhand  Pass 28 

7.  Start  of  the  Overhand  Pass 38 

8.  Finish  of  the  Overhand  Pass 44 

9.  Overarm  or  "Hook"  Pass .  48 

10.  Position  in  Catching  Ball  Above  Waist      ...  52 

11.  Position  in  Catching  Ball  Below  Waist       ...  54 

12.  The  Dribble — Correct  Position  for  Body  and  Ball  60 

13.  The  Dribble — Faulty  Position  for  Hand  and  Ball  66 

14.  Foul  Shooting — Underhand  Toss 72 

15.  Foul  Shooting — Chest  Shot 132 

16.  Cross-Body  Shot  Back  Overhead 136 

17.  Put  or  Placed  Shot  Coming  in  from  Right       .     .  140 

18.  Put  or  Placed  Shot  Coming  in  from  Front      .  160 

19.  Well  Up  in  the  Air 184 

20.  Two  Positions  Assumed  in  Jumping      ....  192 

ix 


X  ILLUSTRATIONS 

riCUKS  FACINS  PACE 

»i.    The  Start  of  the  Pivot 198 

22.  Finiih  of  the  Pivot  and  Start  of  the  Dribble    .  206 

23.  The  Dodge — Evading  a  Charging  Guard  .      .  218 

24.  Incorrect  Guarding,  Foul 228 

DIAGRAMS 


PAGE 


Diagram  of  a  Basket  Ball  Court 2 

Diagrams  of  Offense — 1-56 75-13° 

Diagram  of  Defense — 57 133 

Diagram  of  Defense — 58 135 

Diagram  of  Defense — 59 I39 

Diagram  of  Defense — 60 141 


INTRODUCTION 

Over  a  period  of  some  years  I  have  spent 
most  of  my  leisure  in  games  and  sports.  In  these 
activities  I  have  had  a  variety  of  experiences, 
and  have  learned  many  things  that  seem  to  me 
very  much  worth  while. 

Sometimes  I  have  played  alone  with  only  snow- 
shoes  as  special  equipment,  or  a  fishing-rod,  or  a 
dog  for  companion.  Sometimes  I  have  been  one 
of  a  group,  a  member  of  the  team.  Somerimes 
I  have  been  the  organizer,  the  director  back  of 
the  play. 

But,  after  all,  the  happiest  memories  of  play 
or  sport  are  those  of  the  men  with  whom  I  have 
played.  Both  Mr.  Wardlaw  and  Doctor  Morrison 
are  in  this  retrospect  of  mine;  I  have  played  with 
them  many  times. 

And  so  when  the  opportunity  to  read  the  manu- 
script and  to  write  an  introduction  for  their  book 
came  to  me,  it  was  grasped  eagerly,  because  I 
felt  that  I  could  speak  with  assurance  and  con- 
fidence, knowing  more  than  the  manuscript  could 
tell,  or  the  professional  athlete  could  pass  upon. 

As  I  look  over  the  text,  I  am  impressed  with 


xii  I^^^RODUCTION 

the  clear,  definite,  detailed  analysis  of  confusing 
points;  but  I  am  not  surprised,  because  I  have 
seen  the  minds  of  these  two  men  at  work  on  similar 
problems  with  similar  results.  As  I  note  the 
broad,  tolerant  attitude  on  moot  questions,  where 
the  judgments  of  others  are  just  as  good  as  the 
authors*  judgments,  I  recall  the  good  sports- 
manship evident  in  our  many  games  together. 
The  book  throughout  has  given  me  a  cinema 
view  of  our  athletic  battles  on  the  courts.  I  see 
the  quick  analysis  of  the  problem  involved,  the 
various  hazards  of  the  possible  play,  the  decision 
on  the  plan  of  attack,  the  carrying  through  to 
the  end. 

In  the  professional  field  of  physical  education, 
a  book  on  the  coaching  of  basket  ball  has  been 
needed  particularly.  Several  attempts  have  been 
made  in  the  past.  Famous  players,  men  with 
reputations  of  national  significance,  have  written 
on  the  playing  of  the  game,  but  it  has  remained 
for  two  teachers,  who  have  gone  through  the 
experience  of  teaching  boys  and  college  youths 
the  technic  involved  in  the  game,  to  analyze  in 
detail  this  technic,  study  and  present  the  sub- 
ject from  the  standpoint  not  only  of  its  kine- 
siology but  also  its  physiology  and  psychology. 

Athletics  in  America  are  passing  through  crit- 
ical years.      Professionalism,   high   specialization, 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

and  proselytism  are  cancerous  growths  in  college 
sport,  which  need  the  knife  for  cure.  Some  who 
sense  the  danger  are  wont  to  advocate  the  Eng- 
lish method  of  sport.  They  see  values  there, 
but  overlook  the  characteristics  of  the  American 
people.  It  seems  rather  that  we  must  develop 
our  games,  sports,  and  athletics  in  harmony  with 
our  dominant  national  traits,  and  we  must  make 
sure  beyond  chance  that  we  utilize  these  ac- 
tivities for  the  development  of  the  finest  and 
best  in  health  and  character  in  the  young  men 
of  the  nation. 

A  book  such  as  this,  which  sets  standards  of 
play,  which  tends  to  make  the  game  uniform, 
and  thus  leads  to  better  understanding  and  better 
play,  which  emphasizes  the  amateur  and  unpro- 
fessional spirit,  will  contribute  greatly  to  the 
larger  goal  of  basket  ball — the  health  and  char- 
acter of  the  American  youth. 

Jesse  Feiring  Williams. 

Teachers  College,  February,  1921. 


PART  I 


Right 
Forward 


2  feet  r«dmK^^— >. 

&->  J  Center 

Center 
Orelc 


6feetradiuc 


Fn*  Throw^ 
Un 


Right 
1     Guard 


Bnd 


DIAOKAM  OP  A  tASUJ  9ALL  COimT 


Line 


BASKET    BALL 

CHAPTER  I 
HOW  THE  GAME  IS  PLAYED 

Basket  ball  for  men  is  played  by  two  teams  of 
five  members  each.  The  object  of  the  game  is  to 
score  as  many  points  as  possible  by  tossing  the 
ball  into  the  opponents'  basket,*  and  at  the  same 
time  to  prevent  the  other  team  from  scoring. 

The  game  is  played  on  a  rectangular  court,  ap- 
proximately forty  by  seventy  feet.  These  dimen- 
sions may  vary,  however,  according  to  the  avail- 
able space.  The  playing  area  is  enclosed  by  well- 
defined  lines.  The  court  is  further  marked  off  by 
a  circle  in  the  centre  and  free-throw  lines  at  both 
ends. 

Aside  from  the  court  the  only  other  equipment 
n«cessary  is  a  ball  and  two  backboards,  one  for 
each  end  of  the  floor.  The  ball  is  made  of  a  rub- 
ber bladder,  enclosed  in  a  leather  case.  The 
backboards  are  four  by  six  feet  in  size,  and  are 

*  In  this  work  the  authors  refer  to  the  basket  into  which  a  team 
is  throwing  the  ball  as  "opponents'"  basket;  the  goal  which  the 
team  is  defending  as  "own"  basket.  Although  contrary  to  the 
definition  in  the  "Official  Rules,"  historical  nomenclature  and  the 
logic  of  the  situation  justify  this  stand. 

.    i 


4  BASKET   BALL 

usually  made  of  plate  glass  or  of  wood  painted 
white.  The  baskets  are  made  of  cord  or  other 
soft  material,  and  are  suspended  from  metal 
rings  which  are  attached  to  the  backboards. 

The  personnel  of  a  team  is  composed  of  two 
forwards,  a  centre,  and  two  guards.  The  forwards 
are  primarily  responsible  for  the  scoring,  the 
guards  for  preventing  the  scoring  of  the  opposing 
team,  while  the  duties  of  the  centre  may  be  either. 
Under  present  systems  of  play  any  or  all  members 
of  the  team  may  take  part  in  the  offense  or  defense. 

The  game  is  started  by  the  referee,  who  tosses 
the  ball  up  between  the  two  centres  in  the  middle 
of  the  floor.  Eacli  attempts  to  bat  the  ball  to 
one  of  his  team-mates.  The  side  securing  it  im- 
mediately goes  on  the  offense,  and  endeavors  by 
a  series  of  passes  or  dribbles  to  advance  the  ball 
near  enough  to  the  opponents'  goal  to  make  a 
successful  shot.  The  team  failing  to  secure  the 
ball  is  compelled  to  fall  back  on  the  defense,  where 
it  attempts  to  prevent  the  opponents  from  making 
a  basket,  and  at  the  same  time  tries  to  get  pos- 
session of  the  ball,  after  which  it  becomes  the 
attacking  side.  When  a  member  of  one  team 
causes  the  ball  to  go  out  of  bounds,  it  is  returned 
into  the  court  by  a  member  of  the  opposing  team, 
who,  bringing  it  to  the  point  where  it  left  the 
court,  may  pass  it  in  any  direction  to  any  one  of 


HOW  THE  GAME  IS  PLAYED  5 

his  team-mates.  Certain  very  definite  rules  and 
regulations  govern  play.  (See  Spalding's  "Official 
Rules.")  The  player  having  possession  of  the  ball 
may  neither  run  with  it  nor  kick  it,  but  must  ad- 
vance the  ball  by  passing,  dribbling,  or  shooting. 
The  player  on  defense  may  not  tackle,  trip, 
shove,  or  use  any  method  that  is  unnecessarily 
rough,  but  must  secure  the  ball  by  intercepting  a 
pass  or  taking  it  from  an  opponent  without  com- 
ing in  bodily  contact  with  him.  Violation  of  any 
of  the  rules  constitutes  a  foul. 

When  a  basket  is  made  from  the  field  two  points 
are  scored;  when  made  from  the  foul-line  in  what 
is  known  as  a  "free  throw,"  one  point.  The  actual 
playing  time  consists  of  two  twenty-minute  halves. 
For  young  boys  four  ten-minute  quarters  may  be 
used.  The  visiting  team  has  choice  of  goals, 
which  are  exchanged  at  the  end  of  the  first  half. 
The  officials  are  a  referee,  an  umpire,  two  time- 
keepers, and  two  scorers.  Their  duties  are  ex- 
plained in  the  official  rules. 

A  summary  of  playing  terms  follows: 

Playing  Terms 
goal,  when  made 
Section  i.     A  Goal  is  made  when  the  ball  en- 
ters the  basket  from  above  and   remains  in  or 
passes  through. 


BASKET   BALL 


PLAYER   OUT   OF    BOUNDS 


Sec.  2.  Out  of  Bounds — A  player  is  out  of 
bounds  when  any  part  of  his  body  touches  the 
boundary  line  or  the  floor  outside  of  the  boundary 
line. 

BALL   OUT  OF   BOUNDS 

The  ball  is  out  of  bounds  when  any  part  of  it 
touches  the  boundary  line,  the  floor  outside  the 
boundary  line,  any  object  outside  the  boundary 
line,  or  when  it  is  touched  by  a  player  who  is  out 
of  bounds. 

WHO  CAUSES  BALL  TO  GO  OUT  OF  BOUNDS 

The  ball  is  caused  to  go  out  of  bounds  by  the 
last  player  touched  by  it  before  it  crosses  the  line. 

HELD   BALL 

Sec.  3.  Held  Ball  is  declared  when  two  players 
of  opposing  teams  have  one  or  both  hands  on  the 
ball,  or  when  one  closely  guarded  player  is  with- 
holding the  ball  from  play. 

"time  out" 

Sec.  4.  "Time  Out"  is  declared  whenever  the 
game  can  be  legally  stopped  without  the  loss  of 
playing  time. 


HOW  THE  GAME  IS  PLAYED  7 

FOUL 

Sec.  5.  A  Foul  is  a  violation  of  a  rule  fo^  ff^hich 
a  free  throw  is  allowed. 

DEAD   BALL 

Sec.  6.  The  Ball  is  Dead  and  play  shall  cease 
until  the  ball  is  put  in  play  again  in  a  manmir  in- 
dicated by  the  Referee: 

a.  When  a  goal  is  made.     (Centre  ball.) 

b.  When  the  ball  goes  out  of  bounds. 

c.  When  held  ball  is  declared. 

d.  When  "time  out"  is  declared. 

e.  When  a  foul  is  called. 

/.  After  each  of  the  two  free  throws  following 
a  double  foul.     (Centre  ball.) 

g.  At  expiration  of  playing  time. 

h.  When  the  ball  lodges  in  the  supports  of  the 
basket.     (Centre  ball.) 

i.  After  the  first  of  two  free  throws  following 
two  fouls  on  the  same  team. 

y.  After  an  illegal  free  throw.     (Centre  ball.) 

RUNNING   WITH    BALL 

Sec.  7.  Running  with  the  Ball  is  progressing 
in  any  direction  while  retaining  possession  of  the 
ball. 


S  BASKET   BALL 

DRIBBLING 

Sec.  8.  A  DrihhU  is  made  by  a  player  giving 
impetus  to  the  ball  by  throwing,  batting,  bouncing, 
rolling,  fumbling,  or  muffing  it  and  touching  it 
again  before  it  touches  another  player.  The  in- 
stant the  ball  comes  to  rest  in  either  one  or  both 
hands  or  touches  both  hands  simultaneously  the 
dribble  ceases. 

HOLDING 

Sec.  9.  Holding  is  personal  contact  with  an 
opponent  that  interferes  with  the  opponent's  free- 
dom of  movement. 

BLOCKING 

Sec.  10.  Blocking  is  impeding  the  progress  of 
an  opponent  who  has  not  the  ball. 

FREE    THROW 

Sec.  II.  A  Free  Throw  for  goal  is  the  privilege 
given  a  team  to  throw  for  goal  from  a  position 
directly  behind  the  free-throw  line. 

DOUBLE    FOUL 

Sec.  12.  A  Double  Foul  is  made  by  both  teams 
having  fouls  called  against  them  simultaneously. 

DELAYING    GAME 

Sec.  13.  Delaying  the  Game  is  unnecessarily 
interfering  with  the  progress  of  the  game  by  a 
player. 


HOW  THE  GAME  IS  PLAYED  9 

OWN   GOAL* 

Sec.  14.  Own  Goal  is  the  basket  for  which  a 
team  is  throwing, 

EXTRA  PERIOD 

Sec.  15.  Extra  Period  is  the  five-minute  exten- 
sion of  playing  time  necessary  to  break  a  tie  score. 

TECHNICAL    FOUL 

Sec.  16.  Technical  Foul  is  any  foul  not  involv- 
ing personal  contact. 

PERSONAL   FOUL 

Sec.  17.  Personal  Foul  is  holding,  blocking, 
tripping,  pushing,  charging,  or  committing  any 
other  form  of  unnecessary  roughness. 

DISQUALIFYING    FOUL 

Sec.  18.  Disqualifying  Foul  is  rough  play  for 
which  a  player  is  removed  from  the  game. 

*  See  footnote,  page  3. 


CHAPTER  II 

HANDLING  THE  BALL 

The  most  essential  factor  in  successful  basket 
ball  is  the  mastery  of  the  fundamentals  of  the 
mechanics  of  play,  namely,  the  handling  of  the 
ball  and  the  body.  In  any  game  success  or  failure 
is  determined  by  the  strength  or  weakness  of  the 
human  element.  The  most  elaborate  system  of 
offense  or  defense  is  invahdated  when  some  one 
fumbles  the  ball.  In  the  following  chapters, 
under  Part  I,  we  shall  discuss  and  elaborate  on 
the  various  ways  of  catching,  passing,  dribbling, 
and  shooting  the  ball;  also  the  correct  methods 
of  using  the  body  in  starting,  stopping,  jumping, 
turning,  pivoting,  and  dodging.  A  coach  cannot 
spend  too  much  time  on  these  fundamentals. 
Skill,  smoothness  and  speed,  which  are  essential 
to  successful  playing,  are  acquired  not  by  elab- 
orate strategy  but  by  tireless  practice  of  the  pri- 
mary elements  of  the  game.  An  ill-timed  pass,  a 
fumbled  ball,  the  inability  to  pivot  or  make  a 
turn,  the  failure  to  make  an  easy  shot  may,  at  a 
critical   moment,    destroy    a    hard-earned   oppor- 


HANDLING  THE  BALL  ii 

tunity  and  throw  the  advantage  to  the  other 
team.  Although  the  apparatus  used  in  basket 
ball  is  simple,  yet  on  account  of  the  new  and  skil- 
ful co-ordinations  required  there  is,  perhaps,  no 
other  game  where  definite,  scientific  coaching 
bears  better  results. 

The  movements  or  co-ordinations  used  in  many 
of  the  team  games  are  natural  ones.  They  are 
inherent,  and  have  been  practised  from  infancy 
by  most  boys.  In  basket  ball,  however,  new 
methods  of  handling  the  ball  and  the  body  have 
to  be  worked  out  and  developed.  Skill  in  base- 
ball, for  example,  is  more  easily  acquired,  because 
the  necessary  co-ordinations  have  been  to  a  large 
extent  developed  before  the  boy  comes  under  the 
control  of  the  coach.  He  has  been  throwing  stones 
or  playing  with  a  bat  and  ball  from  childhood.  A 
basket  ball  he  has  perhaps  never  seen,  nor  any 
other  object  handled  in  a  similar  way.  Such 
movements  as  are  required  in  making  an  over- 
head pass  or  a  chest  shot  are  entirely  new,  and 
skill  can  be  acquired  only  through  careful  coach- 
ing and  constant  practice. 

Passing 

The  ultimate  aim  of  the  offense  is  to  throw  the 
ball  into  the  opponents*  basket;  but  before  this 
can  be  done  the  ball  must  be  worked  down  the 


12  BASK  FT   BALL 

court  to  a  position  where  a  shot  can  be  made. 
This  is  done  largely  through  passing.  It  is  ob- 
vious then  that  before  a  team  can  hope  for  suc- 
cess it  must  be  proficient  in  this  part  of  the  game. 
It  is  seldom  that  one  sees  a  winning  team  that 
does  not  have  good  passing  and  good  team-work, 
while  the  most  marked  characteristic  of  the  play- 
ing of  a  losing  team  is  usually  poor  passing.  Pass- 
ing is  the  element  of  play  that  will  most  constantly 
demand  the  attention  of  the  coach.  It  is  vital 
that  he  do  not  neglect  it.  Perfection  in  this  de- 
partment of  the  game  is  rarely  attained,  but  the 
more  nearly  a  team  comes  to  it  the  more  likely 
is  it  to  win.  The  explanation  of  why  teams  lose 
possession  of  the  ball  so  often  is  in  a  large  major- 
ity of  cases  simply  poor  passing. 

Kinds  of  Passes 

Passes  are  made  with  two  hands  or  one  hand. 
In  general  the  short  passes  are  made  with  two 
hands,  largely  because  they  are  more  accurate. 
For  greater  distance  the  one-hand  pass  is  better, 
because  the  ball  can  be  thrown  farther  and  with 
greater  force.  Passing  should  be  first  taught 
while  the  player  is  in  a  stationary  position.  After 
proficiency  is  acquired  it  should  be  taught  while 
the  players  are  in  motion,  simulating  more  nearly 
the  actual  conditions  of  the  game. 


HANDLING  THE   BALL  13 

TWO-HANDED    PASSES 

Underhand. — The  first  of  the  two-handed  passes 
is  the  natural  one  made  from  some  low  position 
near  the  floor  to  left,  right,  or  forward.  This  pass 
may  be  made  at  any  time,  but  is  especially  valu- 
able when  pivoting  away  from  a  guard.  It  may 
be  used  in  either  of  two  ways:  with  a  long,  free, 
underarm  sweep,  or  by  a  mere  snap  of  the  wrists 
and  hands. 

Overhead. — (Fig.  2,  facing  page  14.)  This 
pass  enables  a  team  of  tall  players  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  their  height  and  pass  the  ball  over 
the  heads  of  their  shorter  opponents.  It  may  be 
made  either  as  a  hard  drive  or  an  easy  lob.  The 
latter  is  safe  only  for  short  distances.  It  is  an 
excellent  pass  to  use  in  feinting.  Because  of  the 
sure  grip  on  the  ball  the  player  is  enabled  to  feint 
in  one  direction  and  throw  the  ball  in  another. 

Mechanics :  In  making  this  pass  the  ball  is  held 
high  overhead  between  the  hands,  fingers  out- 
spread, palms  facing  each  other,  and  thumbs 
nearly  parallel  behind  the  ball,  while  the  elbows 
are  slightly  bent  to  give  better  control.  The  ball  is 
thrown  with  a  forearm  and  wrist  movement.  A 
step  forward  gives  greater  driving  i>ower. 

Chest. — (Fig.  3,  facing  page  18.)  The  chest 
pass  is  a  sharp,  snappy,  two-handed  pass  made 


14  BASKET   BALL 

from  a  position  in  front  of  the  chest.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  popular  and  useful  of  all  passes.  It 
can  be  made  quickly  because  the  ball  is  so  often 
caught  in  front  of  the  body,  and  from  there  can 
be  got  away,  without  further  preparation,  by  a 
wrist  snap  and  extension  of  the  forearm. 

Mechanics:  The  ball  is  held  chest  high  between 
the  hands,  palms  facing  each  other,  fingers  out- 
spread, thumbs  parallel  and  pointing  upward, 
and  the  elbows  close  to  the  body.  If  started 
nearer  the  waist-line  and  brought  up  as  the 
arms  arc  extended  the  pass  is  made  with  greater 
force. 

Sidfarm. — (Fig.  4,  facing  page  20,)  The  side- 
arm  pass  is  made  from  one  side  when  the  player 
wishes  to  pass  in  the  direction  across  his  body. 
It  may  also  be  used  when  passing  forward  if  started 
high  above  the  shoulder. 

Mechanics:  The  ball  is  held  in  both  hands  at 
one  side  of  the  body,  elbows  partly  flexed.  If  the 
pass  is  made  forward  or  to  the  left,  the  left  hand 
is  on  top  of  the  ball  and  the  right  underneath  it. 
The  reverse  is  true  if  the  pass  is  made  to  the 
right.  A  snap  of  the  wrists  with  a  slight  fore- 
arm action  is  used  to  drive  the  ball.  A  step 
in  the  direction  the  pass  is  made  gives  greater 
force. 


FIG.  2.    OVERHKAD  PASS— PAGE   13. 


HANDLING  THE  BALL 


Passes — One-Hand 


Underhand  Pass. — (Figs.  5  and  6,  facing  pages 
24,  28.)  The  underhand  pass  is  one  of  the  easiest 
methods  of  sending  the  ball  from  one  player  to 
another.  It  follows  a  natural  co-ordination  of  a 
free  underhand  swing,  and  permits  of  great  speed. 

Mechanics:  The  ball  is  held,  fingers  outspread, 
the  arm  hanging  by  the  side.  The  hand  and  arm 
are  carried  to  the  rear.  The  drive  is  made  by 
swinging  the  hand  and  arm  to  the  front,  and  is 
best  followed  through  by  a  step  forward  with  the 
left  foot.  The  swing  of  the  arm  in  pitching  an 
indoor  baseball,  or  in  bowling  ("tenpins"),  is  a 
like  motion.  The  pass  may  be  varied,  when  the 
arm  in  its  forward  movement  is  raised  to  the  side. 

Overhand. — (Figs.  7,  8,  facing  pages  38,  44.)  For 
throwing  the  ball  great  distances  the  overhand  pass 
is  best.  It  gives  the  greatest  driving  power  because 
it  is  done  by  a  movement  which  every  boy  has 
practised  since  he  first  threw  a  stone.  It  is  the 
combination  of  the  peg  of  a  catcher  and  first  base- 
man in  baseball  and  the  "shot  put"  in  field 
events.  When  thrown  from  directly  above  the 
shoulder  it  should  carry  accurately  for  the  full 
length  of  the  court,  if  such  a  pass  is  required. 
In  practising  this  pass,  in  order  to  acquire  accu- 
racy the  ball  must  be  handled  slowly  at  first,  be- 


i6  BASKET  BALL 

cause,  being  large,  it  is  not  possible  to  grip  it  so 
firmly  as  a  baseball,  for  example.  A  slight  turn 
of  the  hand  causes  the  ball  to  curve  and  nullifies 
the  pass. 

Mechanics:  The  ball  should  rest  in  the  hand, 
fingers  spread  well  apart.  The  hand  is  brought 
backward  until  it  is  just  behind  and  above  the 
right  shoulder;  body  is  turned  toward  the  right. 
With  a  stride  forward  with  the  left  foot  the  right 
shoulder  turns  to  the  front,  the  right  elbow  and 
shoulder  are  extended,  and  the  full  force  of  the 
turn  and  extension  drives  the  ball. 

Hook  or  Overarm. — -(Fig.  9,  facing  page  48.) 
The  overarm  is  generally  made  while  the  man  is 
in  the  air.  It  is  valuable  for  short  or  long  pass- 
ing when  the  player  is  in  motion,  and  carries  the 
advantage  of  being  thrown  with  great  force  from 
a  position  as  high  as  the  player  can  jump.  It 
also  enables  him  to  turn  his  opposite  shoulder  to 
a  guard  coming  toward  him. 

Mechanics:  The  pass  may  be  made  as  follows: 
The  player  with  the  ball  has  turned  or  pivoted 
away  from  his  guard.  He  is  not  in  a  position  to 
shoot,  but  wishes  to  make  a  pass  to  a  team-mate 
behind  him.  He  takes  one  bounce,  and  upon  the 
recovery  leaps  high  into  the  air,  making  a  half- 
turn  to  the  left;  carries  the  ball  up  and  out  at 
right  angles  to  his  body;  and  whips  it  back  over 


HANDLING  THE   BALL  17 

his  head  to  his  team-mate.  The  mechanics  of  the 
arm,  wrist,  and  finger  motions  can  be  practised 
from  a  stationary  position  under  the  following 
directions:  The  body  is  turned  to  the  right;  the 
ball  in  the  right  hand  is  carried  far  beyond  the 
right  shoulder,  arm  straight,  fingers  outspread. 
It  is  delivered  by  an  upward  swing  of  the  arm  and 
shoulder  to  an  arch  position  over  the  head,  from 
whence  it  is  snapped  by  a  wrist  and  finger  motion 
to  the  player  for  whom  the  pass  is  intended.  The 
fingers  are  a  great  help  in  giving  the  direction  to 
the  ball. 

The  Bounce  Pass. — The  bounce  pass  is  used 
when  an  air-line  pass  may  be  easily  guarded.  The 
ball  should  be  thrown  so  that  it  bounces  at  the 
feet  of  the  guard  trying  to  intercept  it.  When 
passed  thus  it  is  almost  impossible  to  block  with- 
out kicking  it.  It  also  carries  the  element  of 
surprise  to  the  opponents. 

PASSING    IN   GENERAL 

Basket  ball  is  primarily  a  passing  game.  A 
team  may  make  a  dozen  passes  before  trying  one 
shot  for  basket.  As  a  general  rule  the  passing  is 
progressive  toward  the  goal.  Most  passes  are 
made  while  players  are  in  motion,  but  situations 
constantly  arise  on  a  large  floor  when  the  man 
with  the  ball  is  stationary,  while  his  team-mates 


l8  BASKET  BALL 

manoeuvre  for  positions  nearer  the  goal  After 
making  his  pass  the  player  must  advance  through 
his  opponents'  defense  ready  again  to  receive  the 
ball  should  it  be  passed  to  him.  The  long,  low 
passes  are  hardest  to  intercept,  and  a  bounce  pass 
is  very  disconcerting  to  the  opposite  side.  A  ball 
should  never  be  thrown  at  a  running  player,  but 
rather  just  far  enough  in  front  of  him  so  that  he 
and  the  ball  reach  the  same  place  at  the  same 
time.  Such  passes  must  not  be  too  swift,  but 
rather  carefully  timed.  A  swift  rifle-bullet  pass 
may  be  made  to  a  team-mate  in  a  given  position, 
but  a  lobbed  shot  just  over  the  head  of  an  oppo- 
nent may  sometimes  accomplish  better  results. 
The  man  who  drives  a  ball  at  a  team-mate  com- 
ing toward  him  is  a  menace  to  the  team.  Too 
many  broken  fingers  result  from  this  affected 
playing.  There  are  times,  especially  in  the  play 
in  which  the  guard  comes  down  and  receives  the 
ball  from  his  forward,  that  the  pass  is  no  more 
than  a  gentle  toss  in  the  air.  The  onrushing 
player  can  more  easily  catch  it  so.  If  it  were 
driven  at  him,  or  even  passed  toward  him,  the 
chance  for  a  fumble  would  be  enhanced  by  the 
speed  of  the  ball  against  the  speed  of  the  player. 

The  ability  to  run  down  the  floor  passing  back 
and  forth  to  a  man  by  his  side  is  of  prime  impor- 
tance in  basket  ball.     It  should  be  practised  con- 


FIG.  3.     CHEST   PASS— PAGE    13. 


HANDLING  THE  BALL  19 

stantly  with  two  men,  then  with  three,  and  then 
the  whole  team.  Ability  to  pass  a  ball  from  the 
position  in  which  it  is  caught  makes  for  smooth 
playing.  There  are  two  elements  in  the  passing 
of  a  ball,  the  one  of  preparation,  and  the  one  of 
delivery.  The  preparatory  movement  is  the 
longer,  and  if  it  can  be  eliminated  the  pass  is 
materially  faster.  For  instance,  if  the  ball  is 
caught  above  the  head  it  may,  if  time  permit,  be 
brought  down  and  passed  by  an  underhand,  over- 
hand, or  chest  shot;  but  to  bring  it  into  a  position 
where  any  of  these  passes  can  be  made  requires 
preparatory  motion;  while  if  the  ball  is  snapped 
from  the  overhead  position  where  it  is  caught, 
by  means  of  the  overhead  or  the  overhand  pass, 
the  ball  can  be  turned  loose  very  quickly.  A  ball 
caught  in  front  of  the  chest  can  be  passed  instantly, 
by  either  the  chest  or  the  sidearm  pass.  The 
fewer  motions  a  basket-ball  player  makes  the 
smoother  and  faster  will  be  his  play. 

Catching 

Good  passing  counts  nothing  if  the  ability  to 
receive  the  pass  is  lacking.  Catching  is  just  as 
important  as  passing,  and  the  one  is  the  comple- 
ment of  the  other.  The  principles  of  catching 
are  few  and  can  be  quickly  taught,  but  only  con- 
tinual hard  practice  will  produce  results.     First 


20  BASKET   BALL 

a  man  must  learn  to  catch  while  standing  still, 
and  then  while  in  motion;  and  the  latter  case,  of 
course,  predominates  in  a  game.  The  ability  to 
catch  a  ball  coming  straight  at  him,  a  bounding 
ball,  or  one  in  which  he  must  leap  into  the  air  and 
secure  a  ball  coming  from  in  back  of  him,  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  every  one  on  the  team:  to  the 
forwards  and  centre  on  offense,  and  to  the  centre 
and  guards  in  their  attempts  to  intercept  passes 
on  defense. 

The  mechanics  are  simple.  To  receive  a  ball 
coming  above  the  waist  (Fig.  lo,  facing  page  52), 
a  player  should  reach  out  in  front,  elbows  slightly 
bent,  with  fingers  extended  and  pointed  upward 
and  outward,  palms  front,  with  thumbs  about 
five  inches  apart.  The  wrists,  elbows,  and  shoul- 
ders should  give  a  little  in  order  to  lessen  the 
force  of  the  impact  of  the  ball. 

A  ball  coming  below  the  waist  should  be  taken 
in  the  same  manner  (Fig.  11,  facing  page  54), 
but  with  the  fingers  pointed  downward.  A  ball 
bouncing  close  must  be  carefully  played  for  fear 
a  broken  finger  may  result.  Perhaps  it  is  best  to 
turn  the  fingers  slightly  backward  and  gently 
sweep  the  hands  forward  when  reaching  down  to 
trap  a  bounding  ball.  When  running  down  the 
floor  it  is  often  necessary  to  leap  into  the  air  and 
make  a  catch  of  a  ball  over  the  shoulder.     This 


FIG.  4.     SIDE-ARM   PASS— PAGE    14. 


HANDLING  THE   BALL  21 

may  be  done  without  turning  the  body  from  the 
direction  toward  which  the  player  is  running  by 
allowing  the  ball  to  strike  the  palms  of  the  out- 
stretched hands.  Sometimes  in  this  running  posi- 
tion, if  the  ball  is  coming  low,  it  is  wise  to  turn 
completely  around,  make  the  catch  backed  up 
by  the  body,  and  then  either  pass  again  or,  pivot- 
ing, turn  in  a  new  direction,  dribble,  and  go  on. 
But,  after  all,  the  only  way  to  learn  to  catch  is 
to  catch  and  keep  on  catching. 

Dribbling 

The  dribble  is  a  means  of  advancing  the  ball 
when  the  player  has  a  clear  field  ahead  of  him. 
It  is  also  used  by  a  man  when  his  team-mates  are 
covered  and  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  get  into  an 
advantageous  position  to  shoot.  It  is  as  spec- 
tacular as  a  home  run  in  baseball,  but  is  entirely 
individual,  and  tends,  if  constantly  used,  to 
break  up  team-work  and  to  encourage  grand- 
stand playing. 

It  seems  too  bad  that  so  excellent  a  means  of 
teaching  a  man  to  handle,  and  get  the  feel  of  a 
ball,  should  be  the  principal  thing  that  must  be 
discouraged  in  the  actual  playing  of  the  game. 
In  its  place,  however,  it  has  great  value,  and  a 
strong  coach  should  not  hesitate  to  have  his  men 
practise  the  dribble  at  length. 


22  BASKET   BALL 

Mechanics:  The  dribble  is  a  succession  of  one- 
hand  bounces,  in  which  either  one  or  alternate 
hands  arc  used.  The  ball  should  be  started  from 
about  the  waist-line  and  never  allowed  to  rise 
above  it  (Fig.  12,  facing  page  60). 

In  starting  the  dribble  some  players  make  the 
mistake  of  raising  the  ball  too  high  for  the  initial 
motion  (Fig.  13,  facing  page  66).  This  is  wrong 
for  several  reasons.  First,  it  takes  too  long  a 
time;  second,  the  ball  is  brought  up  to  a  point 
where  it  interferes  with  the  line  of  vision;  and, 
third,  it  is  easy  to  block.  The  ball  is  pushed,  not 
slapped.  As  it  rises  after  the  bound  the  hand 
comes  up  with  it,  and  it  is  then  pushed  down  again. 
The  ball  must  never  be  allowed  to  bounce  so  high 
that  it  interferes  with  the  line  of  vision,  and  it  is 
played  so  that  it  is  always  in  front  of  the  dribbler. 
He,  by  bending  toward  the  bounce,  as  it  were, 
keeps  the  ball  under  his  hand,  and  so  more  easily 
controls  it.  The  dribbler  should  not  run  in  such 
a  way  that  his  feet  follow  in  line.  Rather,  his 
gait  should  be  such  that  his  feet  are  far  enough 
apart,  and  his  weight  so  balanced  that  he  can 
shift  either  foot  as  it  becomes  necessary  to  dodge 
an  opponent  in  the  rush  down  the  floor.  The 
dodge  is  made  in  either  of  two  ways.  In  the 
first  the  dodge  to  the  left  is  made  by  stepping  to 
that  side  with  the  left  foot,  or  at  least  bearing 


HANDLING  THE   BALL  23 

rather  abruptly  in  that  direction.  If  this  is  done 
the  dribbHng  hand  should  be  the  left  just  as  the 
dribbler  passes  the  opponent,  so  as  to  keep  the 
ball  as  far  away  from  him  as  possible.  At  best 
this  is  hard.  The  better  dodge  would  be  if  the 
intent  is  to  go  to  the  left,  to  swing  the  right  foot 
over  and  beyond  the  left,  and  to  make  a  quarter- 
turn  to  that  side.  This  throws  the  right  shoulder 
and  hip  toward  the  man  guarding,  and  gives  him 
comparatively  little  opportunity  to  make  a  play 
on  the  ball.  The  danger  is  here  that  the  dribbler 
will  be  forced  to  turn  more  than  one-quarter 
around  in  order  to  maintain  his  balance.  In  so 
doing  he  may  lose  the  ball,  or  at  least  be  forced 
to  change  his  direction.  This  is  the  opportunity 
to  pass  to  a  team-mate,  who  should  be  following 
near.  If  the  pass  is  made  the  dribbler  reverses 
his  turn,  runs  forward  and  is  ready  to  receive  the 
pass  again,  now  much  nearer  the  goal.  In  prac- 
tising the  dribble  one  should  begin  slowly,  and 
gradually  increase  the  rapidity  of  his  bounces 
until  he  is  able  to  go  at  top  speed  down  the  floor. 


CHAPTER  III 
SHOOTING 

As  the  ability  to  bat  in  baseball  is  the  prime 
requisite  of  offensive  play,  without  which  no  runs 
can  be  scored,  no  matter  how  well  a  ball-player 
may  catch  or  throw,  so  in  basket  ball  all  the 
ability  in  the  world  in  catching,  passing,  and  drib- 
bling will  not  score  a  point  unless  at  least  some 
of  the  team  can  shoot  baskets  successfully.  Orig- 
inally the  idea  was  to  have  the  forwards  do  most 
of  the  scoring,  and  the  tradition  still  remains, 
though  now  we  expect  of  our  back-court  players 
many  a  basket,  and  the  boast  of  a  good  guard 
often  is  that  he  has  scored  more  goals  than  his 
forward. 

The  art  of  shooting  is  distinctly  a  comparatively 
new  bodily  co-ordination,  never  practised  before 
by  American  youth,  and,  although  it  is  daily  be- 
coming familiar  even  to  the  boys  of  the  elemen- 
tary school,  yet  there  are  many  great  helps  in 
teaching  which  will  make  easier  this  so  vital  part 
of  the  game. 

There  are  two  ways  of  shooting  for  the  basket 
■ — one  in  which  it  is  the  idea  of  the  player  to  drop 

24 


FIG.  5.     START  OF  THE   UNDERHAND    PASS— PAGE  15- 


SHCX3TING  25 

the  ball  over  the  basket's  rim,  with  no  thought 
of  the  backboard  or  bank,  and  the  other  in  which 
the  bank  is  taken  into  consideration  and  is  used 
as  an  aid,  by  deflecting  the  ball  into  the  goal. 

A  safe  rule  to  follow  in  this  respect  is  to  make 
as  many  shots  free  as  is  possible,  because  the 
basket  is  the  ultimate  aim,  the  bank  only  the 
means  to  an  end.  Always  from  in  front  of  the 
basket,  from  the  extreme  side,  or  from  any  posi- 
tion more  than  fifteen  feet  away  the  shot  should  be 
free.  From  any  point  under  or  near  the  basket 
at  either  side  the  ball  may  advantageously  be 
made  to  carrom  off  the  bank.  In  the  long  shots 
with  the  thought  of  only  the  basket  in  mind,  the 
player  can  shoot  with  a  certain  assurance  that  if 
he  misses  the  basket  and  shoots  beyond,  the  bank 
may  help  deflect  the  ball  into  the  goal.  All  shots 
except  close  ones  in  which  the  bank  is  used  should 
be  made  with  a  very  high  loop.  The  ball  which 
enters  the  basket  from  overhead  has  a  full  circle 
in  which  to  drop,  whereas  the  long  low  shot  will 
have  but  an  ellipse,  if  indeed  it  even  clears  the 
rim.  In  both  bank  and  free  shooting  the  shots 
may  be  made  with  one  or  two  hands.  For  be- 
ginners shooting  may  best  be  practised  from  a 
standing  position,  but  when  a  fair  degree  of  effi- 
ciency is  reached,  play  conditions  should  be  used 
and  the  goals  thrown  while  the  player  is  in  motion. 


26  BASKET   BALL 

It  is  not  force  that  counts  in  basket-shooting,  yet 
often  a  player  running  down  the  floor  will  make  his 
shot  so  hard  that  striking  the  bank  it  will  bound 
back  into  the  court  behind  him,  and  thus  his 
follow  up  will  be  lost.  There  are  many  shots 
which  call  for  a  deftness  of  touch  and  a  nicety 
of  judgment  such  as  would  be  used  in  baseball 
when  bunting  the  ball. 

The  matter  of  following  up  a  shot  is  extremely 
important,  but  it  depends  somewhat  upon  the 
style  of  offensive  play  the  particular  team  adopts. 
Some  coaches  have  the  man  who  makes  the  shot 
drop  back  and  another  man  run  in  and  follow  up, 
while  others  have  a  man  follow  up  his  own  shots 
even  to  the  third  or  fourth  opportunity.  The 
writers  recall  one  play  in  a  college  game  in  which 
a  noted  guard  followed  up  his  shot  four  times, 
and  caged  a  basket  on  the  fourth  attempt.  What- 
ever the  style  of  play,  the  "follow  up"  is  an  excel- 
lent means  of  exercising  judgment  and  practising 
the  recovery  of  a  loose  ball.  Many  times  by  a 
spring  into  the  air  a  missed  shot  may  be  tapped 
or  batted  into  the  goal  before  it  has  a  chance  to 
fall  to  the  floor.  But  here  again  opinions  vary, 
some  coaches  feeling  that  this  is  conducive  to 
loose  playing  and  therefore  to  be  discouraged. 
In  basket-shooting  as  in  every  department  of 
play  there  may  be  differences  of  opinion,  as  to 


SHOOTING  27 

methods  and  technic,  but  if  the  fundamental 
principles  are  studied  closely  and  practised  as- 
siduously, the  improved  work  of  a  player  will 
repay  many  times  the  effort  s[>ent. 

Shots — Two  Hands 

Underhand. — (Fig.  14,  facing  page  72.)  The 
natural  way  an  inexperienced  player  shoots  for 
the  basket  is  by  the  underhand  shot,  the  one  in 
which  the  ball  is  simply  tossed  up  from  an  under- 
hand position.  Because  this  is  the  natural  method 
it  has  been  studied  and  improved  so  that  now  it 
is  very  generally  used  for  that  most  important 
part  of  scoring,  viz.,  foul  shooting.  The  shot  is 
also  used  from  various  parts  of  the  floor  and  may 
be  made  with  great  accuracy.  It  is  not  made  as 
frequently  from  the  floor,  however,  as  some  of 
the  other  shots,  because  it  is  difficult  to  execute 
while  running,  and  is  rather  easily  blocked. 

Mechanics:  The  ball  is  grasped  in  the  palms, 
fingers  outspread  on  either  side,  the  little  fingers 
slightly  underneath,  the  elbows  somewhat  bent. 
With  eyes  on  the  basket  and  the  body  inclined 
somewhat  forward,  the  arms  are  lowered  between 
bent  knees.  An  easy  toss  which  co-ordinates  the 
trunk,  arm,  and  leg  movements  completes  the 
shot,  and  as  the  ball  leaves  the  hands  the  body 
is    extended    and    the   weight    forward.     In    the 


28  BASKET  BALL 

preparatory  movement,  too  far  forward  a  position 
of  the  body  should  be  avoided,  and  throughout, 
the  eyes  must  be  on  the  goal. 

Chfst. — (Fig.  15,  facing  page  132.)  The  com- 
plement to  the  underhand  shot  is  the  chest  shot. 
This  is  a  shot  employing  the  mechanics  of  pushing 
rather  than  swinging.  It  has  several  advantages 
over  the  underhand  style.  First,  because  it  is 
started  nearer  the  line  of  vision  and  followed 
through  closer  to  the  basket,  it  is  more  accurate; 
second,  because  it  is  started  higher  and  pushed 
upward,  it  is  more  difficult  to  guard.  The  com- 
mon error  in  learning  this  shot  is  to  hold  the  ball 
as  a  half-back  runs  with  it  in  football,  that  is,  at 
both  poles,  grasped  only  by  the  thumb  and  fingers. 
This  has  a  tendency  to  throw  the  elbows  out  and 
make  the  motive  power  rather  the  snap  of  the 
wrists  than  the  extension  of  the  wrists,  elbows, 
shoulders,  etc.  A  more  direct  push  can  be  given 
the  ball  if  it  is  held  between  the  palms  chest  high, 
fingers  outspread,  thumbs  parallel  and  in  back 
about  five  inches  apart.  The  elbows  are  in  close 
to  the  body,  the  body  is  crouched  slightly  and 
inclined  forward,  the  feet  may  be  together  or  one 
foot  in  front.  The  arms  are  extended,  and  the 
ball  is  shot  without  a  twisting  motion.  The  body 
becomes  erect  as  the  shot  is  delivered,  and  a  step 
or  spring  forward  may  be  made.     The  lower  down 


FIG.  6.     FINISH  OF  THE  UNDERHAND    PASS— PAGE  IS. 


SHOOTING  29 

the  shot  is  started  the  more  power  can  be  put 
into  the  throw,  and  the  ball  is  often  shot  fifty  or 
sixty  feet  by  this  method.  The  ball  travels  to 
the  basket  describing  a  high  loop,  and  is  some- 
times called  the  "loop  shot,"  but  as  we  have  said 
before  the  principle  of  the  high  loop  applies  prac- 
tically to  all  shots.  Much  practice  is  needed  to 
perfect  the  chest  shot,  because  the  co-ordinations 
are  difficult;  yet  because  it  is  almost  the  basic 
shot  of  the  game  too  much  time  cannot  be  spent 
upon  it. 

The  last  of  the  two-handed  shots  is  made  when 
the  player  receives  the  ball  coming  in  toward  the 
basket  from  the  right,  and  too  late  to  make  a 
play  on  the  near  side.  In  order  to  avoid  "prog- 
ress" it  may  be  necessary  to  take  one  bounce 
before  the  shot;  when  this  is  done,  and  the  man 
is  on  the  left  of  the  goal  with  his  back  turned 
toward  it  he  makes  a  quarter-turn  to  the  right, 
looks  up  over  his  right  shoulder,  and  with  a  long 
underhand  motion  sweeps  the  ball  up  and  back 
so  that  it  carroms  off  the  backboard  into  the  goal 
(Fig.  16,  facing  page  136).  There  is  a  variation 
of  this  shot  which  may  be  used  when  the  player 
shooting  is  closely  guarded,  and  cannot  hold  the 
ball  out  in  front  for  the  full  arm  sweep.  The 
shot  is  then  made  from  the  "chest  shot"  position, 
by  the  player  bringing  the  ball  to  the  chest,  mak- 


30  BASKET  BALL 

ing  a  half-turn  to  the  right  as  he  springs  into 
the  air,  and  pushing  the  ball  up  and  back  to  the 
backboard  and  the  goal.  In  this  shot  the  ball 
glances  off  the  bank  at  a  sharp  angle.  In  the  full 
underhand  sweep  it  rolls  on  the  bank  and  down 
into  the  basket.  Both  shots  are  made  while  run- 
ning, but  the  chest  push  is  accompanied  by  a 
spring  and  half-turn.  This  throws  the  back, 
shoulder,  and  hip  into  the  guard  following. 

Shots — One  Hand 

There  are  three  one-hand  shots  worthy  of  note 
— they  all  admit  of  variations.  The  most  pop- 
ular at  the  present  time  is  what  we  may  call  the 
"put"  shot.  The  situation  in  which  it  might 
occur  is  as  follows:  A  player  is  coming  down  the 
right  side  of  the  court,  either  dribbling  or  receiv- 
ing a  pass.  When  within  striking  distance  of  the 
goal  he  attempts  his  shot.  Because  a  guard  is  ap- 
proaching from  the  left  he  has  no  time  to  pause. 
Consequently  the  shot  must  be  got  off  quickly, 
and  from  his  right  side,  where  it  cannot  be  inter- 
cepted. The  ball  is  carried  in  the  right  hand  to 
the  shoulder,  where  it  is  lifted  up  and  over  his 
head  to  the  left,  describing  a  full  circle  on  its  way 
to  the  goal.  The  shot  is  made  without  "English" 
or  spin,  and  should  descend  with  as  Httle  force  as 
possible  upon  the  basket.     To  gain  greater  height 


SHOOTING  31 

and  further  forestall  the  possibility  of  blocking, 
the  player,  as  he  shoots,  may  leap  into  the  air. 
Some  players  acquire  great  accuracy  and  skill  in 
making  this  shot. 

The  second  one-hand  shot  is  made  by  a  player 
coming  in  from  the  right  front  to  the  near  side 
of  the  basket  (Fig.  17,  facing  page  140).  He  de- 
sires to  get  closer  to  the  goal  so  that  his  shot  will 
be  more  sure.  There  is  no  guard  between  him 
and  the  basket.  He  receives  the  ball,  takes  one 
bounce,  leaps  high  into  the  air,  and  with  a  rotary 
motion  of  the  hand  from  the  right  to  the  left, 
so  as  to  impart  a  right-to-left  spin  to  the  ball,  he 
rolls  the  ball  off  the  bank  into  the  goal. 

There  are  two  variations  of  this  play:  One  in 
which  his  approach  is  the  same  but  in  which  he 
leaps  high  enough  so  that  the  ball  may  be  gently 
placed  over  the  rim  (Fig.  18,  facing  page  160);  and 
another  in  which  he  approaches  the  basket  either 
from  in  front  or  from  the  left  front.  In  either  of 
these  cases  the  bounce  and  leap  are  the  same, 
but  the  ball,  instead  of  rolling  off  over  the  little 
finger,  is  rolled  off  the  tips  of  the  fingers  as  the 
palm  is  upraised.  The  slight  over  English  twirl 
which  this  position  permits  often  causes  the  ball, 
if  it  strikes  the  rim,  to  roll  over  into  the  goal. 
These  also  are  lightly  placed  shots,  and  require 
much  skill. 


32  BASKET  BALL 

A  shot  frequently  used  when  coming  in  from 
the  left  side  is  made  as  follows:  The  player  has 
received  a  pass  too  close  to  shoot  from  the  near 
side.  He  takes  one  bounce  if  necessary,  under 
the  basket,  so  that  it  brings  him  into  position  on 
the  far  side.  With  a  leap  and  half-turn  to  the 
left  he  swings  the  ball  up,  simultaneously  carry- 
ing the  palm  of  the  hand  around  to  the  left  from 
a  position  in  which  it  is  toward  the  player  to  one 
in  which  it  faces  the  backboard,  and  with  the 
"spin"  thus  imparted  to  the  ball  he  rolls  it  into 
the  goal  (Fig.  19,  facing  page  184).  This  shot 
may  also  be  made  by  simply  putting  the  ball 
without  the  spin  against  the  backboard. 

These  are  the  basic  shots  in  basket  ball.  Varia- 
tions of  them  occur  as  it  becomes  necessary  to 
shoot  from  unusual  positions  and  when  closely 
guarded.  The  game  permits  of  few  pauses  or  set 
shots,  and  even  when  a  player  has  an  oppor- 
tunity to  make  one  it  frequently  goes  wide  of  the 
mark.  Sometimes  we  see  a  loose  forward  receive 
a  long  pass  down  near  the  goal.  With  all  the  time 
he  wishes  he  sets  himself,  shoots — and  misses. 
The  spectators  cannot  understand  why  a  usually 
good  forward  has  so  failed.  It  is  generally  be- 
cause his  co-ordination  has  been  changed  from  a 
shot  made  while  in  motion  (the  prevailing  ones  in 
the  game)  to  one  in  which  he  is  standin'r  stll!     a 


SHOOTING  33 

comparatively  strange  position.  So  does  a  fielder 
in  baseball  miss  the  easy  roller.  The  crowd  says, 
"Too  easy,"  but  the  strange  co-ordination  is  to 
blame.  By  constantly  keeping  his  eyes  on  the 
basket  a  player  in  time  comes  to  sense  its  location, 
and  can  turn  in  the  air  and  locate  the  goal  almost 
instinctively.  But  it  is  not  instinct  which  guides 
so  much  as  experience  and  long  practice  in  this 
fascinating  part  of  the  game. 


CHAPTER  IV 

HANDLING  OF  THE  BODY 

Thus  far  we  have  discussed  the  elements  of 
basket  ball  from  the  standpoint  of  the  handling 
of  the  ball  in  passing  and  catching,  and  shooting 
baskets.  The  third  factor  in  developing  individual 
ability  is  the  study  of  the  mechanics  of  body 
movements.  Basket  ball  is  so  essentially  a  game 
of  motion  that  the  consideration  and  analysis  of 
motion  is  vital  to  successful  play.  The  ability 
to  start  quickly,  to  stop  suddenly,  to  outjump  an 
opponent,  to  dodge  or  pivot  away  from  him,  and 
then  again  to  guard  him,  if  he  has  the  ball,  and 
to  take  it  away,  are  all  more  or  less  natural  move- 
ments; but  because  so  natural,  are  little  under- 
stood, and  consequently  little  heeded,  especially 
in  work  with  younger  boys.  Yet  there  are  few 
players  whose  work  cannot  be  improved  by  a 
study  and  an  understanding  of  the  way  these 
things  are  done.  To  analyze  is  to  simplify,  and 
to  simplify  is  to  clarify  and  improve. 

Starting 

The  ability  to  start  quickly  depends  upon  a 
condition  of  readiness  not  only  of  body  but  of 

34 


HANDLING  OF  THE  BODY  35 

mind.  The  player  must  be  alert  of  mind,  with  a 
body  well  balanced.  Balance  is  maintained  by  a 
position  in  which  the  feet  are  planted  firmly  upon 
the  floor  in  a  stride  position — with  enough  pres- 
sure upon  the  balls  of  the  feet  or  the  toes  to 
enable  him  to  start  forward,  backward,  or  to  the 
side  with  the  least  possible  waste  of  time.  The 
basket-ball  player  never  is  sure  in  what  direction 
he  will  be  called  upon  to  run,  so  the  crouching 
start  of  a  sprinter  is  of  no  value.  A  player  may 
expect  to  run  forward,  but  a  poor  pass  or  the 
successful  jump  of  an  opposing  centre  may  give 
the  ball  to  the  other  side,  and  an  immediate  run 
backward  or  to  the  side-lines  be  demanded.  It  is 
generally  wise,  particularly  on  the  "tap-off,"  for  a 
forward  to  manoeuvre  to  outwit  his  guard,  but  he 
must  never  be  caught  flat-footed,  and  so  left  at  a 
disadvantage.  One  reason  for  fumbling  is  that  a 
player  is  set  in  a  certain  position  to  receive  a  ball, 
and  then  for  some  reason  or  other,  such  as  a  poor 
pass,  he  is  compelled  to  change  that  position  in 
order  to  catch  it,  a  condition  which,  on  account 
of  being  poorly  balanced,  he  is  unable  to  meet. 
While  not  literally  upon  his  toes,  yet  figuratively 
he  should  be,  and  from  this  balanced  position  is 
ready  upon  call  to  start  quickly  for  any  place  on 
the  floor. 


36  BASKET  BALL 

Stopping 

Ability  to  stop  and  turn  quickly  is  just  as  im- 
portant as  ability  to  start  quickly,  and  to  a  large 
extent  this  depends  on  the  shoes.  Many  floors 
are  slippery,  and  so  basket-ball  shoes  are  made 
with  large  spongy  suction  soles.  They  are  made 
so  for  two  purposes:  First,  because  they  are 
easier  on  the  feet,  and,  secondly,  because  they 
afford  greater  clinging  power  than  the  thin  rubber- 
soled  sneak.  When  two  feet  are  planted  firmly 
at  the  same  time  the  player  is  brought  to  a  sud- 
den stop.  The  jump  which  plants  the  feet  should 
be  made  with  a  half-turn  to  the  side  so  that  the 
player  lands  in  a  stride  position,  with  feet  at  right 
angles  to  the  direction  in  which  he  was  running. 
The  pushing-back  eflfect  of  the  forward  foot  is 
then  taken  advantage  of,  and  the  balance  main- 
tained by  the  firm  planting  of  the  other.  Com- 
pare the  position  assumed  by  the  ice-skater  when 
he  desires  to  stop  suddenly.  The  attempt  to 
stop  while  facing  forward  is  awkward,  inasmuch 
as  the  player  has  a  tendency  to  fall  forward  upon 
his  face,  necessitating  further  steps.  As  the  front 
foot  is  slapped  down  on  the  half-turn  jump  there 
is  some  danger  of  a  snapped  ankle,  so  coaches 
must  watch  well  the  feet  of  their  teams  and 
strengthen  weak  ankles  by  a  brace  or  tape. 


HANDLING  OF  THE  BODY  37 

Jumping 

The  principal  elements  in  the  jump  are  a  com- 
bination of  catching  at  the  right  time  and  spring- 
ing high  from  the  bent  knees.  The  first  is  a  mat- 
ter of  judgment  and  experience,  the  second  of 
much  practice.  Some  officials  throw  the  ball  up 
very  quickly,  others  are  deliberate  and  slow. 
Study  of  the  referee  will  aid  in  out  jumping  an 
opponent.  Being  ready  in  the  circle  or  any  part 
of  the  floor  where  the  jump  is  to  be  made  will 
help  much.  A  fraction  of  a  second  gained  in 
preparation  may  give  a  decided  advantage.  If 
his  opponent  has  any  peculiarities  of  style  or  any 
weaknesses,  a  player  should  try  to  find  them.  If 
he  is  slow  he  can  be  caught  napping  on  his  prepa- 
ration. Many  players  crouch  too  much  in  making 
the  jump.  It  takes  too  long  to  get  up,  and  they 
sacrifice  judgment  of  time  to  height  of  spring. 
Others  jump  from  a  position  in  which  the  knees 
are  not  bent  enough.  This  is  the  other  extreme, 
and  is  the  more  common.  Two  positions  arc 
shown  in  Fig.  20,  facing  page  192. 

Pivoting 

The  pivot  is  a  means  of  evading  a  charging 
guard,  making  it  possible  for  a  player  to  turn  in 
another   direction    without   breaking  the   **foot- 


7182 


58  BASKET  BALL 

position"  rule*  The  turn,  usually  from  45  to 
180  degrees,  is  made  upon  one  foot;  the  other 
foot  is  placed  after  the  turn  is  completed.  The 
pivot  to  the  left  must  be  taken  upon  the  right 
foot;  the  right  knee  is  slightly  bent;  as  the  pivot 
or  turn  is  made  the  left  leg  is  raised  sideward,  so 
when  the  foot  is  placed  it  will  give  a  wide  base 
and  consequent  balance;  the  left  foot  is  placed 
sideward  or  backward  in  the  direction  toward 
which  the  player  passes  or  dribbles  the  ball.  The 
pivot  may  be  taken  on  the  ball  or  heel  of  the  foot, 
but  the  foot  must  remain  in  place. 

The  pivot  is  an  excellent  means  of  getting  into 
a  position  to  pass,  dribble,  or  shoot.  When  cov- 
ered in  front  a  player  uses  the  pivot  to  evade  the 
guard,  t.  ^.,  place  the  guard  behind  him  or  off 
at  the  side  (see  Figs.  21  and  22,  facing  pages  198, 
206).  Here  A  is  attempting  to  take  the  ball  from  By 
who  pivots  to  left,  throwing  his  shoulder  and  hip 
toward  Ay  and  then  starts  off  in  a  new  direction. 
The  turn  may  be  made  to  either  side,  and  may  be 
to  the  extent  of  a  quarter,  a  half,  or  a  full  turn. 
In  any  case  the  player  has  evaded  his  guard  and, 
as  in  the  illustration,  has  been  able  to  dribble  out 
of  his  way. 

*  See  Basket  Ball  and  Indoor  Bojehall  for  PTonun,  hj  Fro«t  »oi 
Wardlaw. 


/y 


I'IG.  7.  START  OF  THE  OVERHAND  PASS.— PAGE  15. 


HANDLING  OF  THE  BODY  39 

Dodging 

There  are  three  kinds  of  dodges,  depending 
upon  three  different  situations.  A  dodge  may  be 
simply  a  side-step  to  the  right  or  left  of  a  charg- 
ing guard.  Again  it  may  be  the  dodging,  while 
dribbling,  of  a  guard  trying  to  block;  and  last  it 
may  be  in  making  a  pass,  by  feinting  on  one  side, 
swinging  the  arm  and  body  over,  and  passing  on 
the  other.  The  first  occurs  when  a  player  who 
has  received  the  ball  finds  the  guard  rushing  upon 
him.  He  makes  a  long  side-stride  to  the  right  or 
left,  keeping  one  foot  in  position,  bends  his  body 
low,  and  lets  his  guard  run  past  him.  This  is 
generally  practised  while  making  a  shot  at  the 
basket  (see  Fig.  23,  facing  page  218). 

In  using  the  second  dodge  the  player  is  drib- 
bling down  the  floor;  an  opponent  attempts  to 
block.  The  dribbler  passes  him  to  the  left  by 
planting  his  left  foot  down  and  crossing  the  right 
leg  over  and  ahead  of  the  other.  This  throws  the 
shoulder  and  hip  into  the  opponent  and  leaves 
him  on  one  side.  (If  the  dodge  is  made  by  step- 
ping over  on  the  left  foot  first,  the  dribbler  gains 
no  advantage,  as  his  position,  relative  to  the 
blocker,  is  approximately  the  same;  sec  "The 
Dribble,"  page  21). 

After  eluding  a  guard  by  dodging  in  this  way 


40  BASKET  BALL 

it  is  very  difficult  to  avoid  a  half-turn.  At  this 
point  it  may  be  well  to  shift  the  ball  from  the 
right  to  the  left  hand,  or  to  pass  it  to  some  team- 
mate— either  a  man  trailing  the  dribbler  or  one 
of  the  players  nearer  the  objective  goal.  Only 
long  practice  will  enable  the  dribbler  to  dodge 
successfully. 

The  third  type  of  dodge  is  made  in  connection 
with  a  feint  to  throw  the  ball  in  one  direction  and 
actually  throwing  it  in  another.  The  man  mak- 
ing the  pass  may  feint,  by  any  of  the  two-handed 
passes,  to  throw  to  the  right.  He  retains  his 
grip  on  the  ball,  however,  and  makes  his  actual 
pass  to  the  left.  He  then  steps  past  his  guard  on 
either  side,  ready  to  receive  the  ball  again.  He 
may,  instead  of  passing  the  ball,  carry  it  forward 
on  his  second  motion  thereby  starting  a  dribble. 
His  step  is  across  his  opponent's  foot,  and  at  the 
same  time  he  makes  the  first  bounce  of  the  drib- 
ble. Clever  dodging  depends  upon  the  shifting 
of  the  weight  upon  the  feet,  and  this  again  is  a 
question  of  maintaining  balance.  The  footwork 
of  a  good  boxer  will  furnish  an  example. 


PART  U 


CHAPTER  V 
POSITIONS 
The  Guard 

As  the  name  suggests,  the  man  playing  guard 
on  the  team  protects  and  defends  his  team's  goal 
or  basket.  His  primary  duty  is  to  prevent  the 
opposing  team  from  scoring.  He  tries  to  keep 
the  ball  entirely  out  of  his  end  of  the  court,  and 
especially  from  any  position  near  enough  for  the 
opponents  to  make  a  successful  shot. 

Although  the  guard's  first  duty  is  to  defend  his 
goal,  it  does  not  mean  that  all  he  has  to  do  is  to 
stay  in  his  end  of  the  floor  and  be  ready  to  attack 
an  opponent  whenever  his  goal  is  menaced.  That 
is  sufficient,  at  times,  to  keep  him  busy;  but  how- 
ever much  engaged  he  may  be  at  such  times,  he 
must  be  willing  and  ready  to  do  more  the  instant 
his  team  gains  possession  of  the  ball  and  starts 
an  offensive  of  its  own.  He  must  help  get  the 
ball  out  of  his  own  territory  and  away  from  his 
own  goal,  and  perhaps  even  help  take  it  all  the 
way  down  the  floor.  In  the  beginning  when 
basket  ball  was  first  played,  it  was  thought  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  guards  down  in  their  own  end  of 

43 


44  BASKET   BALL 

the  floor,  and  the  responsibility  for  scoring  was 
entirely  that  of  the  centre  and  forwards.  This 
is  quite  different  from  the  modern  conception  of 
the  part  the  guard  should  play  in  a  game.  To-day 
the  guard  is  expected,  in  addition  to  being  the 
main  defense,  to  take  an  active  part  in  all  offen- 
sive operations  of  his  team.  On  many  teams  one 
of  the  guards  at  least  is  expected  to  score  several 
points  during  the  game,  and  it  is  not  uncommon 
to  find  the  most  dangerous  man  on  a  team,  from 
the  standpoint  of  scoring,  to  be  a  guard.  We 
believe  this  to  be  the  right  idea  of  the  responsibili- 
ties of  a  guard.  He  should,  in  addition  to  his 
other  duties,  take  a  prominent  part  in  the  pass- 
ing, team-work,  and  scoring  of  his  team.  In 
doing  this  the  guard  is  only  carrying  out  the  idea 
that  "the  best  defense  is  a  good  offense."  In 
this  change  whereby  the  guard  has  become  a 
more  prominent  factor  in  scoring,  the  centre  and 
forwards  have,  to  a  certain  extent,  relieved  him 
of  the  entire  responsibility  of  guarding  or  defense. 
With  this  understanding  regarding  the  guard 
his  importance  becomes  obvious  at  once.  It  is 
very  essential  that  the  team  has  a  couple  of  good, 
reliable  men  back  under  its  own  goal  who  are 
able  to  break  down  any  offensive  that  the  oppos- 
ing team  may  start.  Once  a  team  gets  under 
way  and  begins  to  roll  up  the  score,  it  is  very  hard 


FIG.  8.     FINISH    OF   THE   OVKRIIAND    PASS— PAGE  15. 


POSITIONS  45 

to  stop.  Such  a  start  or  advantage  may  be 
stopped  before  it  has  acquired  any  great  momen- 
tum, if  the  guards  are  keen  and  awake  to  every 
situation.  The  guard  has  a  better  opportunity 
to  observe  the  game  and  to  discover  the  methods 
of  the  opposing  team  than  any  other  player.  He 
often  finds  himself  standing  in  the  middle  or  at 
his  end  of  the  floor  watching  the  forwards  and 
centre  playing  the  ball  under  their  opponents* 
basket,  and  he  should  take  advantage  of  this  op- 
portunity and  assume  the  responsibility  of  advis- 
ing and  directing  the  other  players.  A  guard 
should  not  feel  that  he  should  be  continually  on 
the  run  in  order  to  be  playing  a  good  game.  If 
the  ball  is  being  kept  in  the  opponents'  end  of  the 
floor,  and  the  other  men  on  his  team  are  making 
an  occasional  basket,  the  guard  should  be  content 
and  satisfied  to  stay  where  he  is.  The  object  of 
keeping  the  opponents  from  shooting  is  being  ac- 
complished, and  there  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by 
deserting  his  post. 

In  order  to  meet  the  qualifications  of  this  posi- 
tion the  guard  should  be  keen,  wide  awake,  ag- 
gressive, and  have  a  spirit  that  will  enable  him 
to  play  for  all  he  is  worth  right  up  through  the 
last  minute  of  the  game.  Things  happen  too  fast 
in  basket  ball  for  the  man  who  cannot  think 
quickly,  and  it  is  too  strenuous  for  any  one  who 


46  BASKET  BALL 

gives  up  easily,  or  who  is  not  willing  to  work  as 
hard  as  he  can  all  through  the  game.  Basket  ball 
is  a  man's  game,  and  it  requires  all  the  qualities 
of  the  finest  kind  of  a  man  to  play  it.  The  guard 
should  have  the  spirit  that  carried  the  late  John 
L.  Sullivan  to  so  many  victories.  It  is  said  that 
before  every  battle  this  great  fighter  and  most 
popular  champion  of  the  ring  would  look  at  his 
opponent  as  if  to  say,  "What  right  have  you  even 
to  get  into  the  same  ring  with  me .? "  and  then 
proceed  to  make  his  opponent  wish  he  had 
never  seen  either  the  champion  or  the  ring.  The 
methods,  to  be  sure,  should  be  different,  but  there 
is  need  for  that  same  spirit  of  determination. 
The  guard  should  be  a  large  man,  fast  on  his  feet 
and  a  good  shot.  **A  good  big  man  is  always  bet- 
ter than  a  good  little  man."  This  is  true  in  all 
branches  of  athletics.  The  smaller  man  is  some- 
times faster,  but  he  is  at  a  great  handicap  play- 
ing guard.  It  is  an  important  factor  in  the  suc- 
cess of  the  team  to  have  a  couple  of  big  guards 
who,  on  account  of  their  size,  are  able  to  inter- 
cept a  large  number  of  passes,  and  make  foUow-up 
shots  and  team-play  of  their  opponents  practically 
impossible. 

In  coaching  a  guard  he  should  first  be  taught 
to  guard  his  man  and  not  to  worry  about  anything 
else.     He  should  learn  to  guard  and  do  it  well. 


POSITIONS  47 

As  he  becomes  more  experienced  he  should  learn 
to  break  away  when  his  team  secures  the  ball, 
and  make  his  forward  pursue  him.  The  principle 
to  follow  is  to  first  see  that  the  work  of  guarding 
is  well  taken  care  of,  and  engage  in  the  other 
phases  of  team-work  only  as  the  player  has  time, 
energy,  and  ability  to  do  it  after  the  purely  de- 
fensive work  is  done.  How  much  the  guard  will 
cover  any  particular  opponent  will  depend,  of 
course,  on  the  type  of  defense  used.  It  always 
worries  a  forward  if  he  is  closely  guarded.  By 
that  we  mean  making  it  very  difficult  for  him  to 
receive  a  pass,  and  just  as  hard  for  him  to  make  a 
pass  or  shot  after  he  has  once  got  his  hands  on 
the  ball.  When  the  forward  has  the  ball  it  is  not 
enough  just  to  prevent  his  shooting  at  the  basket. 
He  should  be  guarded  so  closely  and  pressed  so 
hard  that  he  cannot  pass  the  ball,  and  if  he  tries 
it,  the  pass  will  be  bad.  Again,  it  is  just  as  an- 
noying to  the  forward  if  he  knows  that  as  soon  as 
his  team  loses  the  ball  he  must  follow  his  guard 
closely.  The  guard  should  try  to  make  his  man 
feel  that  way,  and  even  if  he  plans  no  offensive 
move  he  should  feign  one. 

In  plays  from  centre,  if  the  signal  is  for  the 
guard  to  receive  the  ball,  he  must  leave  his  for- 
ward; otherwise  he  should  try  to  prevent  him 
from  getting  it.     To  do  this  it  may  be  necessary 


48  BASKET  BALL 

for  the  guard  to  take  his  eye  momentarily  ofF  the 
ball.  But  he  should  break  up  any  play  to  his 
forward  and,  if  the  latter  be  successful  in  getting 
the  ball,  make  it  impossible  for  him  to  pass  it. 
A  good  position  in  which  to  watch  the  forward 
is  a  little  inside  and  to  the  rear  of  him.  The 
guard  should  try  to  prevent  his  man  from  getting 
inside  and  between  him  and  the  goal.  In  rushing 
toward  an  opponent  the  guard  should  have  good 
control  of  his  movements,  and  be  ready  to  stop 
and  go  in  any  direction.  This  will  make  it  im- 
possible for  the  man  with  the  ball  to  dodge  and 
elude  him.  A  common  mistake  of  guards  is  to 
rush  at  their  man  too  fast.  All  players  should  be 
ready  for  the  many  unexpected  things  that  hap- 
pen in  basket  ball.  A  man  should  not  get  set  to 
receive  a  pass  at  a  certain  place  and  in  a  certain 
way  until  he  sees  the  ball  coming.  If  he  does 
and  the  pass  is  bad,  or  he  has  to  change  his  plans, 
he  is  apt  to  do  the  thing  awkwardly  and  lose  his 
balance.  A  player  should  have  such  control  of 
himself  that  he  can  go  or  move  in  any  direction 
at  any  time. 

A  problem  that  a  guard  often  has  to  solve  is 
how  to  guard  two  opponents  as  they  approach  his 
goal  ready  to  try  for  a  basket.  No  definite  state- 
ment can  be  made  regarding  the  matter,  as  his 
action   varies  according  to  the  type  of  defense 


ik;.  u.    ovkrarm  ur  -iiook"   pass. -page  1G. 


POSITIONS  49 

being  used,  how  close  the  men  are  to  the  basket, 
and  so  on.  If  the  guard  is  close  to  the  man  with 
the  ball  and  he  thinks  he  can  reach  him  before  he 
can  make  a  pass,  the  guard  should  take  a  chance 
and  rush  his  opponent.  If  the  chances  are  that 
a  pass  will  be  made  to  the  other  man,  the  guard 
should  try  to  prevent  the  first  man  from  shooting 
and  at  the  same  time  be  ready  to  cover  the  second 
man.  In  this  way  the  guard  may  be  able  to 
delay  the  shot  until  his  team-mates  come  to  his 
assistance.  Under  any  circumstances  the  guard 
should  remember  that  his  first  responsibility  is  to 
prevent  his  own  man  from  scoring. 

The  two  guards  should  learn  to  work  together, 
so  that  while  one  of  them  is  going  at  least  part 
of  the  way  down  the  floor  the  other  will  always 
be  back  as  a  last  defense  of  his  goal.  The  ideal 
combination  is  one  where  both  are  good  shots 
and  of  value  on  the  oflPense.  Usually,  however, 
one  is  better  than  the  other,  and  comes  down 
the  floor  more  often  than  his  team-mate.  After 
coming  in  and  taking  a  shot  it  is  usually  best 
for  the  guard  to  hurry  back  to  his  defensive 
position. 

While  the  guard  should  play  hard  and  be  very 
aggressive,  he  should  live  strictly  up  to  the  rules. 
There  are  many  little  tricks,  such  as  holding  his 
opponent's  wrist,  stepping  on  his  toes,  taking  hold 


so  BASKET  BALL 

of  some  part  of  his  clothing,  which  the  guard  may 
be  able  to  do  and  not  be  seen  by  the  officials,  but 
all  such  procedures  are  to  be  condemned.  If  a 
man  cannot  be  a  gentleman  and  play  not  only 
according  to  the  letter  but  also  the  spirit  of  the 
game,  he  should  not  play  at  all.  This  applies  to 
the  other  players  as  well  as  to  the  guard. 

Forward 

A  good  forward  must  be  possessed  of  at  least 
three  qualities:  ability  to  shoot,  craftiness  or  bas- 
ket-ball intelligence,  and  speed.  Unless  he  is  able 
to  shoot,  craft  and  speed  are  wasted.  Without 
craft  he  can  never  outwit  his  guard,  and  without 
speed  he  is  unable  to  take  advantage  of  the  open- 
ing his  craftiness  makes  for  him.  The  three  quali- 
ties are  necessarily  interwoven,  and  the  lack  of 
any  one  nullifies  the  advantages  of  the  others. 
To  these  we  might  add  aggressiveness,  except  that 
such  a  quality  is  presupposed  in  every  basket- 
ball player.  It  is  a  fighting  game,  and  the  for- 
wards are  in  the  front  line  of  the  attack. 

In  the  chapter  on  "Shooting"  we  have  dis- 
cussed fully  various  kinds  of  shots,  and  the  prac- 
tice of  these  shots  in  the  order  given  should 
develop  shooting  ability.  It  is  well  to  know,  how- 
ever, a  few  fundamentals  which  pertain  partic- 
ularly to  the  forward's  shooting.    A  forward  must 


POSITIONS  SI 

be  able  to  shoot  from  any  position  in  which  he 
finds  himself.  His  are  very  rarely  the  set  shots 
with  plenty  of  time  to  aim  that  the  guard  has. 
He  has  no  time  to  aim  and  shoot.  The  ball  must 
be  tossed  from  the  point  at  which  he  receives  it; 
sometimes  a  mere  tap  up  to  the  goal  as  it  comes 
toward  him  is  all  he  can  do.  He  is  generally  run- 
ning at  full  speed  when  the  ball  is  passed  to  him. 
Even  the  short  delay  of  a  bounce  may  be  denied 
him.  He  may  be  surrounded  by  opponents,  but 
he  must  come  out  of  the  m^lee  with  an  upward 
sweep  of  his  arms  or  a  snap  of  his  wrist  which  will 
send  the  ball  up  to  the  goal.  There  must  be  a 
sensing  of  the  position  of  the  basket,  for  often  he 
will  not  have  time  even  to  look  for  it.  Of  course 
this  ability  to  locate  the  basket  comes  only  after 
long  experience,  but  as  a  result  of  constant  and 
hard  practice  it  is  a  rich  reward. 

Basket-ball  intelligence,  particularly  as  applied 
to  the  "Forward,"  might  be  termed  knowledge  of 
the  strategy  of  the  game,  and  a  craftiness  or  shifti- 
ness that  makes  it  possible  to  take  full  advantage 
of  that  knowledge.  A  forward  ^euld  never  be 
still.  At  the  "tap-ofF"  he  must  be  constantly 
manoeuvring  either  to  reach  the  ball  before  his 
guard  or  else  to  lose  his  opponent  and  gain  a 
position  down  near  the  goal. 

It  is  his  business  to  get  free  whenever  the  ball 


52  BASKET  BALL 

comes  into  possession  of  his  team.  He  must  be 
ever  on  the  alert  to  dash  into  the  unoccupied  sec- 
tion of  the  floor  ready  to  receive  the  pass  made  to 
him,  or  to  the  spot  where  he  is  expected  to  be. 
If  the  ball  passes  to  the  other  side,  then  the  situa- 
tion is  reversed.  The  forward  falls  back  on  de- 
fense and  according  to  the  system  used  plays 
temporarily  a  guarding  game.  If  it  is  a  "man-to- 
man" defense,  he  must  see  that  his  guard  does 
not  score,  or  even  succeed  in  taking  a  pass.  If 
it  is  a  "five-man"  defense,  he  picks  the  man  who 
comes  through  on  his  side.  With  two  guards 
back  he  may  even  let  his  own  man  go  through  if 
that  man  is  the  first  or  second  to  do  so,  but  the 
third  man  in  on  his  side  he  must  cover.  Now 
covering  does  not  mean  simply  preventing  the 
other  man  from  getting  the  ball,  as  is  sometimes 
done  when  a  man  faces  another,  leaps  into  the 
air,  and  raising  his  arms  is  struck  in  the  back  with 
the  ball;  it  means  intercepting  the  ball  itself; 
making  that  one  stride  in  the  direction  of  the  ball 
just  a  fraction  of  a  second  ahead  of  the  other  man. 
That  fraction  of  a  second  is  what  wins  in  basket 
ball  when  all  else  is  equal. 

The  position  of  the  forward  at  the  tap-ofF  de- 
pends upon  the  signal  given,  and  the  ability  of 
his  centre  to  get  the  jump.  For  the  various  posi- 
tions he  may  assume,  see  Diagrams  i  to  20,  pages 


FK;.  10.     POSITION   IN   CATCHING   BALL  ABOVE    WAIST.— PAGE  20. 


POSITIONS  S3 

75  to  94,  inclusive.  Often  a  forward  finds  a  guard 
opponent  who  takes  the  ball  from  the  tap-ofF 
when  the  opposing  centre  can  place  it.  This  is  a 
very  hard  play  to  break,  as  a  forward  is  seldom 
drilled  to  block  it.  If  the  forward  plays  outside 
of  his  guard,  the  guard  is  closer  to  the  ball,  and 
has  the  better  chance  of  getting  it.  If  he  plays 
up  between  his  guard  and  the  centre,  the  guard 
is  between  him  and  the  goal;  but  this  is  the  better 
play  because  possession  of  the  ball  is  the  first  ob- 
jective in  basket  ball,  and  although  he  himself 
may  be  blocked  in  his  dash  to  the  goal,  yet  the 
play  starts  from  the  point  where  the  tap-ofF  is 
caught,  and  the  ball  may  be  passed  to  any  team- 
mate who  may  be  uncovered. 

The  name  forward  still  holds  true.  He  is  first 
on  attack,  first  to  take  advantage  of  open  spaces 
near  the  goal,  and  first  to  follow  up  his  shot. 
Accurate  shooting,  craftiness,  and  speed  sum  up 
the  absolute  requirements  of  a  good  forward. 

Centre 

The  centre  is  to  basket  ball  what  the  pitcher 
is  to  baseball — the  pivot-man  on  the  team.  If 
possible  he  should  be  tall,  so  that  he  may  place 
the  "tap-off"  to  his  own  men,  though  in  games 
between  fairly  equal  teams  the  centre  tap-off 
does  not  count  so  much  as  is  commonly  believed. 


54  BASKET  BALL 

because  the  opposing  players  stand  close  and  have 
a  fair  chance  of  intercepting  the  ball.  Neverthe- 
less, the  tall  man  who  is  able  to  play  the  floor  is 
a  better  mark  for  guidance  to  his  team  than  a 
shorter  man.  His  tall  figure  is  a  guide,  and  the 
psychological  influence  of  a  physically  prominent 
leader  and  pivot-man  is  an  aid  to  clean  passing 
among  any  group  of  players. 

The  advantage  of  height  is  great  and  counts 
for  much  in  the  rush  of  a  close  contest;  but  the 
centre  must  have  other  virtues  in  order  to  play 
his  position  well.  He  should  be  a  good  shot,  fast, 
and  rangy  on  his  feet,  and  possessed  of  an  en- 
durance that  will  carry  him  at  top  speed  through 
every  minute  of  a  game.  There  are  breathing 
spaces  for  the  guards,  waiting  moments  for  the 
forwards,  but  the  centre  who  is  both  a  forward 
and  a  guard  has  no  rest  while  the  ball  is  in 
play. 

Generally  his  range  is  up  and  down  the  middle 
of  the  floor,  although  crossing  to  one  side  or  the 
other  on  the  tap-off,  as  the  forward  on  that  side 
runs  from  his  position,  makes  it  necessary  for  him 
to  play  any  corner  of  the  triangle  which  the  oflFen- 
sive  players  should  always  maintain  in  front  of 
the  goal.  To  him  often  the  first  play  may  be 
made  when  the  tap-crff  is  caught.  He  is  the  most 
likely   player  to   be  temporarily   uncovered.     As 


FIG.  11.    POSITION   IN  CATCHING   B.^LL  BELOW    WAIST.— PAGE  20 


POSITIONS  55 

he  jumps  he  runs  around  his  opponent,  and  getting 
in  back  of  him  is  frequently  the  first  man  in  toward 
the  goal.  He  by  his  height  can  often,  without 
catching  it,  tip  the  ball  up  into  the  basket,  and 
after  a  foul  has  been  shot  and  missed,  he  can 
deflect  the  rebound  into  the  goal. 

When  in  the  scrimmage  around  the  basket  for 
which  he  is  shooting,  the  ball  passes  to  the  other 
side,  he  should  lead  his  players  back  to  the  de- 
fense in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  and  as  centre  man 
of  that  defense  make  himself  responsible  for  the 
guarding  of  any  man  after  the  first  two  who  come 
in  on  either  side  of  him.  Many  times  he  can  in- 
tercept a  pass  while  in  that  position  which  would 
go  over  the  head  of  a  smaller  forward.  If  the 
defense  is  broken  and  the  scrimmage  occurs  un- 
der his  own  goal,  by  his  height  he  may  retrieve 
the  ball  on  the  rebound  from  the  backboard  be- 
fore his  smaller  opponents  can  reach  it,  and  lead 
his  players  in  an  offense  down  the  floor. 

Training  for  jumping  may  be  accomplished  by 
trying  to  touch  some  object  raised  a  little  higher 
each  day,  and  certainly  a  centre  should  have 
ability  to  spring;  but  catching  the  time  of  the 
jump  is  often  more  important  than  merely  jump- 
ing high.  In  the  article  on  "Jumping"  we  have 
discussed  this,  and  there  is  no  further  need  to 
speak  of  it  here;  but  this  jumping  abiHty  coupled 


56  BASKET  BALL 

with  accuracy  in  shooting,  endurance,  speed,  and 
good  basket-ball  sense  is  the  necessary  equipment 
of  a  capable  centre. 


CHAPTER  VI 
OFFENSE 

The  subject  of  offense  in  basket  ball  is  a  broad 
one,  so  broad,  in  fact,  that  it  comprises  in  itself 
almost  the  whole  game,  and  practically  every 
part  of  the  Chapters  II,  III,  and  IV  contributes 
to  it.  Offense  consists  in  handUng,  passing,  and 
shooting  the  ball,  in  executing  the  various  body 
movements  such  as  jumping,  starting,  pivoting, 
and  dodging,  and  in  those  formations  which  are 
used  to  advance  the  ball  into  the  opponent's  ter- 
ritory. The  consideration  of  these  various  forma- 
tions is  the  purpose  of  this  chapter. 

Floor  formations  may  be  formed  from  prelim- 
inary situations:  Jump  ball  in  the  centre  of  the 
floor.  Diagrams  i  to  20;  ball  out  of  bounds,  under 
opponent's  basket.  Diagrams  21  to  27;  at  side- 
lines, 28  to  30;  and  under  own  basket,  31  to  36; 
plays  from  free  throw.  Diagrams  37  to  41;  plays 
from  "held  ball,"  Diagrams  42  to  45.  Also  gen- 
eral offensive  floor  plays,  Diagrams  46  to  50,  deal- 
ing with  offense  under  vaQ^ing  situations  to  which 
the  tandem  or  twin-guard  defense  is  opposed. 
Diagrams  51  to  56  deal  with  breaking  the  five-man 
defense. 

57 


58  BASKET  BALL 

The  diagrams  shown  we  offer  as  suggestive 
material.  No  wise  coach  will  use  more  than  four 
or  five  set  plays  from  centre;  and  unless  the  jump 
is  assured,  he  may  not  use  that  many.  The  other 
plays  are  used  in  proportion.  Diagrammatic  work 
is  all  very  well  for  drill  purposes,  and  it  accom- 
plishes much  the  same  purpose  that  it  does  in 
football,  but  in  basket  ball  there  is  rarely  a  set 
formation  from  which  to  start  an  offensive.  There 
is  only  one  time  when  the  players  of  both  teams 
are  likely  to  be  in  a  definitely  assigned  position, 
and  that  is  when  the  ball  is  tossed  up  at  centre. 
Even  then  the  forwards  and  guards  may  be  run- 
ning around  manoeuvring  for  position.  Partic- 
ularly in  general  floor  play  will  the  formations  of 
the  team  under  game  conditions  vary  widely 
from  any  set  formation  which  might  be  illustrated; 
but  principles  can  be  taught  by  diagrams,  and  so 
we  give  a  wide  range  of  material  from  which 
choice  of  plays  may  be  made  to  fit  conditions, 
ability  of  players,  and  so  on. 

As  defense  varies  to  meet  certain  forms  of  of- 
fense, so  offense  must  sometimes  assume  different 
attack  formations  against  certain  forms  of  de- 
fense. Against  the  tandem  defense  two  men  may 
be  sent  down  to  the  opponents'  territory,  with 
some  chance  of  getting  through  and  scoring  by 
passing  the  ball  from  man  to  man.     The  opposing 


OFFENSE  59 

guard  will  not  know  whom  to  cover.  Two  men 
cannot  be  successfully  sent  against  the  twin  guard ; 
that  situation  requires  three.  And  again  three 
men  cannot  break  the  five-man  defense.  It  takes 
four  or  even  five  to  get  by  that  formation.  The 
size  of  the  floor,  the  presence  of  boundary-walls, 
the  height  of  the  ceiling,  the  ability  of  the  op- 
posing centre,  all  vary  the  attackers*  style  of  play. 
High  loop  shots  from  the  middle  of  the  floor  may 
win  a  close  game  on  a  court  with  a  high  ceiling. 
The  low  ceiling  requires  a  final  pass  to  a  man 
directly  under  the  basket. 

The  prime  requisite  of  successful  oflfense  con- 
sists in  working  the  ball  down  the  floor.  This  is 
accomplished  by  three  styles  of  passes — the  short 
pass,  the  long  pass,  or  a  combination  of  both. 
The  most  important  point  to  be  impressed  upon 
players  is  that  the  moment  a  pass  has  been  made 
the  man  must  advance  down  the  floor  ready  to 
receive  the  ball  again  nearer  the  goal.  Too  often 
among  untrained  teams  a  player  comes  into  pos- 
session of  the  ball,  and  because  his  team-mates 
do  not  start  down  the  floor  he  does  not  know  to 
whom  to  pass  it.  If  upon  recovery  of  the  ball 
every  player  immediately  dashes  down  the  floor, 
an  oflFensive  is  launched.  Some  one  in  an  advan- 
tageous position  should  call  for  the  pass.  The 
fact  that  each  member  of  the  team  is  in  rapid 


6o  BASKET   BALL 

progress  toward  the  goal  in  itself  indicates  that 
they  have  a  good  offensive  spirit.  It  must  not 
be  supposed  that  the  ball  is  always  passed  for- 
ward. Many  times  situations  arise  in  which  it 
is  wise  to  pass  to  a  man  behind  rather  than  to 
a  player  in  front  who  may  be  guarded.  The 
nearer  the  goal  the  more  likely  the  players  are  to 
be  covered.  And  for  this  reason  the  floor  guard 
or  some  following  player  may  be  in  a  better  posi- 
tion to  receive  a  pass  and  shoot  than  the  man 
who  wins  a  position  under  the  goal.  This  is  an 
excellent  style  of  offense  to  use  when  dribbling — 
that  is,  to  have  a  man  following  immediately  be- 
hind ready  to  receive  the  ball  if  the  dribbler  finds 
himself  blocked.  In  this  case  the  man  who  drib- 
led  passes  back  to  the  trailer  and  either  drops 
back  as  trailer  in  his  turn  or  runs  forward  ready 
to  receive  the  pass  over  the  head  of  or  past  the 
guard  who  intercepted  him. 

Of  the  two  passes  used  in  offensive  play,  the 
short  and  the  long,  the  former  used  in  connection 
with  the  bounce  is  coming  more  and  more  into 
favor.  A  few  teams  still  employ  a  forward  under 
the  goal.  This  man  waits  in  that  position  to  re- 
ceive a  long  pass  from  the  other  end  of  the  floor. 
He  is  rather  easily  guarded.  If  this  type  of  play 
is  adopted,  only  the  head-work  and  agihty  of  that 
forward  can  make  it  valuable.     His  play  may  con- 


FIG.   12.     THE    DRIHBI.F..— PAGE  22. 
Correct  Position  for  Body  and  Ball. 


OFFENSE  6i 

sist  in  crossing  to  one  side  or  the  other  in  an 
effort  to  evade  his  guard  or  in  suddenly  rushing 
back  part  way  up  the  floor  to  receive  the  pass 
which  he  plays  to  a  second  man  rushing  down  the 
floor.  Long  passes  are  dangerous,  and  are  apt 
to  be  intercepted  when  tried  against  the  twin- 
guard  type  of  defense.  Many  teams  when  secur- 
ing possession  of  the  ball  under  their  own  basket 
start  their  offensive  toward  the  other  end  of  the 
floor  by  making  the  first  pass  to  a  man  at  the 
centre  and  side  of  the  floor.  From  there  short 
passes  are  used. 

The  short-pass  game  is  in  more  common  use 
now  that  the  five-man  defense  has  become  so 
popular.  It  is  a  system  in  which  men  go  down 
the  floor,  passing  to  each  other  as  they  go.  If 
one  is  tackled,  he  passes  across,  forward,  or  back- 
ward to  a  team-mate;  then  continues  on,  ready  to 
receive  the  pass  again.  If  three  or  four  men 
start  an  offensive  of  this  kind  it  is  extremely  hard 
to  stop.  The  bounce  pass  is  here  very  valuable, 
being  deadly  accurate  at  close  range,  and  difficult 
to  intercept  if  played  beside  the  feet  of  an  oppo- 
nent. As  mentioned  before,  when  the  forward 
line  is  guarded,  the  ball  may  be  passed  back  to  a 
floor  guard  or  the  last  man  in.  A  zigzag  attack 
with  short  passes  works  to  admirable  advantage 
on  a  large  floor.     On  the  small  floor  the  conges- 


62  BASKET  BALL 

tion  caused  at  the  middle  line  of  the  court  by  the 
forwards  and  guard  crossing  nullifies  the  advan- 
tage gained  by  this  style  of  play.  The  crisscross 
is  a  valuable  attack  for  the  tap-off  from  centre. 

For  floor  play  in  general  the  system  which 
draws  players  away  from  a  certain  section  of  the 
floor  is  a  good  one.  If  this  vacated  section  is  on 
the  left,  the  left  forward  may  be  made  responsible 
for  dashing  into  it  and  receiving  a  pass  made  to 
the  empty  space;  if  on  the  right,  the  right  forward 
may  take  the  ball,  or  the  forwards  may  cross  the 
floor  and  go  into  each  other's  territory.  The 
twin-guard  defense  is  apt  to  cause  trouble  to  this 
manoeuvre,  because  the  guards  are  generally  sta- 
tioned near  the  sections  from  which  the  shots 
may  be  easily  made,  and  they  are  more  or  less 
at  a  fixed  post.  In  scrimmaging,  however,  they 
may  be  enticed  out  of  position  by  an  opposing 
player,  and  upon  their  leaving  the  territory,  the 
forward  rushes  in,  receives  the  pass,  and  often 
has  a  free  shot  for  goal. 

It  is  generally  true  that  the  ball  should  not  be 
advanced  all  the  way  down  the  floor  in  a  straight 
line.  The  play  is  too  easily  broken,  and  one  guard 
can  cover  too  many  men.  The  "crisscross"  play, 
passing  the  ball  from  side  to  side,  is  better.  This 
holds  particularly  when  near  the  opponents'  bas- 
ket.    Neither  is  it  good  basket  ball  for  the  ofl^en- 


OFFENSE  $$ 

sivc  play  to  carry  the  ball  to  a  position  on  the 
floor  from  which  it  is  difficult  to  shoot.  It  is 
easier  to  make  a  pass  to  a  man  in  a  comer  to  the 
side  of  the  basket,  but  it  avails  the  team  nothing, 
as  it  is  only  the  exceptional  man  who  can  then 
score.  The  aim  should  be  to  take  the  ball  near 
the  basket. 

In  the  majority  of  cases  the  plays  in  a  game 
work  out  differently  from  the  way  they  have  been 
practised.  There  is  usually  some  unexpected 
opposition,  which  makes  the  end  or  outcome  of 
the  play  different  from  what  was  planned.  This 
difficulty  can  be  partly  overcome  by  working  out 
a  choice  of  plays  so  that  if  the  one  in  mind  does 
not  work,  the  player  will  not  be  absolutely  lost 
as  to  what  to  do,  but  will  have  a  second,  or  even 
perhaps  a  third,  choice.  In  football  when  the 
signal  is  given  for  a  forward  pass  to  a  certain 
man,  the  player  making  the  pass  tries  to  throw 
the  ball  to  that  player,  but  if  the  latter  is  cov- 
ered, the  passer  may  make  the  play  to  one  of  the 
two  or  three  other  men  who  have  tried  to  get  free. 
This  policy  is  sound,  and  can  be  used  in  basket 
ball.  It  does  not  mean  that  the  coach  should 
try  to  plan  for  every  play  and  move  that  a  man 
makes  in  a  game.  If  this  idea  is  carried  too  far 
the  players  become  mere  automatons  and  lose 
their  initiative.     The  men  should  be  resourceful, 


64  BASKET   BALL 

so  that  when  any  planned  play  fails  they  will  be 
able  to  meet  the  situation  and  work  out  some- 
thing for  themselves. 

Though  speed  is  a  vital  essential  of  successful 
playing,  it  is  not  always  necessary  or  wise  to  play 
fast  on  the  offensive.  Speed  will  win  when  that 
speed  is  used  to  organize  the  attack  before  the 
defense  is  formed,  but  when  a  five-man  defense 
is  between  the  attacking  side  and  the  goal, 
strategy  and  cunning  may  well  be  employed. 
The  ball  held  temptingly  for  a  bait  to  draw  a  de- 
fensive player  out  of  his  position,  the  quick  dash 
of  an  attacker  into  the  vacated  place,  a  sharp  pass, 
and  the  five-man  defense  is  broken.  Sometimes 
when  all  else  fails  "time  out"  may  be  called,  and 
a  new  strategy  planned.  Less  and  less  brute  force 
is  counting  and  more  and  more  brain-work  and 
clever  passing  produce  the  winning  team. 

There  are  two  or  three  ways  to  break  the  five- 
man  defense.  One  is  to  try  a  long  shot  from  the 
middle  of  the  floor,  rush  in  on  the  follow  up,  re- 
cover the  ball  from  the  backboard,  and  shoot 
again.  A  feint  to  shoot  may  be  made,  the  op- 
ponent's attention  momentarily  averted,  and  a 
rush  started  through  the  line,  using  short  passes 
or  the  dribble.  One  or  two  of  the  players  may 
run  up  the  floor,  take  a  position  inside  the  defense, 
and  come  out  to  meet  a  pass.     The  player  re- 


OFFENSE  65 

ceiving  the  ball  may  then  turn  and  shoot  or  pass 
again  to  another  team-mate  coming  in.  If  the 
defense  has  had  time  to  form  before  the  offense 
could  get  started,  it  is  best  for  the  attacking  side 
to  take  its  time  in  organizing  its  attack,  but  when 
once  under  way  the  attack  should  be  fast  and 
hard.  If  a  long  shot  is  to  be  tried  from  the  mid- 
dle of  the  floor  it  should  be  taken  by  the  best  long- 
distance shooter.  If  either  of  the  other  methods 
of  attack  mentioned  above  is  to  be  used,  at  least 
four,  and  perhaps  all,  the  men  on  the  offense 
should  come  up  close  to  the  defense  and  from  there 
try  to  break  through.  In  order  to  use  the  fifth 
man,  the  guard  who  will  stay  back,  the  offense 
may  be  started  by  him,  and  after  making  the 
first  pass  he  may  drop  back  to  his  assigned  posi- 
tion. Diagrams  51  to  56  illustrate  these  plays. 
The  best  way  to  beat  the  defense  here  shown  is 
to  organize  the  offense  before  the  defense  is 
formed. 

On  plays  from  centre  the  diagrams  will  give 
wide  scope  for  team-play  on  any  type  of  floor, 
and  they  may  be  reversed  at  will.  They  are 
given  with  one  guard  back,  but  can  be  varied  so 
that  the  twin-guard  defense  will  be  used.  The 
salient  point  to  remember  in  these  formations  is 
that  the  ball  must  be  secured.  Some  one  must 
be  in  close  to  the  centre  to  take  the  ball  before  it 


66  BASKET  BALL 

has  gone  to  the  opponents.  Then  with  two  or 
three  passes  it  should  be  carried  close  to  the  goal. 
Where  the  opponents  clearly  have  the  jump,  all 
of  the  weaker  side  may  be  placed  in  the  five-man 
defense  position,  trusting  to  intercept  a  pass 
rather  than  to  get  the  tap-off.  This  system  should 
be  rather  carefully  tried  out,  though,  before  being 
used  in  important  games.  It  is  generally  possible 
for  quick  men  to  secure  the  opponents'  tap. 

There  is  an  old  play  which  still  works  against 
teams  unknown  to  each  other,  but  which  in  league 
games  is  obsolete.  We  refer  to  the  one  in  which 
the  forward  and  guards  change  places.  At  the 
"tap-off"  the  guards  become  forwards  and  the 
forwards  become  guards.  Its  advantage  against 
an  inexperienced  team  lies  in  the  fact  that  the 
opposing  players  do  not  know  for  a  short  time 
whom  to  cover,  and  a  situation  exists  where  the 
guards  of  the  team  upon  whom  the  trick  is  being 
played  follow  the  guards  of  the  other  team,  who, 
in  turn,  are  following  the  opposing  forwards. 
For  a  few  moments  the  forwards  of  the  team 
using  the  formation  find  themselves  free.  Like 
the  old  hidden-ball  trick  in  baseball,  though,  this 
play  is  going  out  of  fashion. 

When  the  ball  is  out  of  bounds  the  team  in 
possession  of  it  has  a  greater  opportunity  to  work 
a  set  and  fixed  play  than  at  any  other  time,  as 


FIG.  13.    THE   DRIBBLE.— PAGE  22. 
Faulty  Position  for  Hand  and  Ball. 


OFFENSE  (ij 

the  man  with  the  ball  may  pass  to  any  place  or 
in  any  direction  he  pleases.  Although  any  man 
on  the  team  may  take  the  ball  when  it  is  out  of 
bounds,  there  should  be  a  definite  play  used  in 
putting  it  back  into  the  court  again.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  have  a  play  for  every  few  feet  all 
around  the  court,  but  for  the  general  divisions  of 
the  floor  such  as  the  ends,  under  either  basket, 
and  along  the  side-lines,  near  each  basket.  (See 
Diagrams  21  to  36.) 

Only  a  few  out-of-bounds  plays  should  be  used, 
but  they  should  be  well  learned  and  practised,  so 
they  may  be  executed  quickly.  It  often  gives 
the  offense  a  big  advantage  to  get  the  ball  into 
play  before  the  defense  has  had  time  to  form  and 
get  ready  for  it.  If  the  game  has  been  fast  and 
the  men  are  tired,  the  temptation  is  to  slow  up 
for  the  moment  and  take  their  time  in  recover- 
ing the  ball.  However,  the  players  should  be 
coached  not  to  think  of  the  game  as  having  stopped 
when  the  ball  goes  out  of  bounds,  but  rather  think 
of  it  as  a  time  when,  if  they  hurry,  they  may  get 
the  jump  on  their  opponents.  Many  times  the 
players  know  whose  ball  it  is  without  having  to 
be  told  by  the  referee,  and  they  should  lose  no 
time  in  getting  it  and  passing  it  into  the  court. 
Sometimes  a  delay  can  be  feigned  and  an  advan- 
tage gained   by  suddenly  putting  the  ball  into 


68  BASKET  BALL 

play  when  the  opponents  are  off  their  guard  or 
are  disputing  with  the  referee.  The  greatest  op- 
position to  getting  the  ball  in  from  out  of  bounds 
comes  when  it  is  near  the  opponents'  goal.  Little 
or  no  opposition  is  met  under  the  team's  own 
goal,  especially  if  a  five-man  defense  is  used. 
Many  teams  do  not  guard  the  man  who  is  passing 
the  ball  in,  and  use  his  opponent  for  some  other 
purpose.  The  man  out  of  bounds  is  often  a  good 
man  to  get  the  second  pass,  as  he  is  apt  to  be  for 
the  moment  uncovered. 

After  a  foul  has  been  called  on  the  opposing 
side  and  the  team  lines  up  for  a  free  throw,  there 
are  three  objectives  to  be  kept  in  mind.  The 
first  is  to  make  the  basket  from  the  free  throw  if 
possible,  something  that  depends  entirely  upon 
the  ability  of  the  foul  shooter.  There  is  nothing 
whatever  that  the  team  can  do  to  help  him.  If 
the  throw  is  missed  the  object  is  then  to  try  to 
get  immediate  possession  of  the  ball  and  try  for 
a  goal  from  field.  The  third  possibility,  if  not 
successful  in  either  of  the  first  two  and  the  op- 
ponents gain  possession  of  the  ball,  is  to  prevent 
them  by  close  guarding  from  passing  it  out  of 
their  territory. 

In  plays  from  held  ball  the  position  of  the  play- 
ers depends  upon  what  part  of  the  floor  the  ball 
is  thrown  up.     (See  Diagrams  42  to  45.)     If  it  is 


OFFENSE  69 

near  a  team's  own  basket  the  play  Is  defensive  in 
character;  two  or  three  of  the  men  should  come 
into  position  behind  their  man  who  is  jumping, 
between  him  and  their  own  goal,  and  one  man  in 
front  in  order  to  cover  any  opponent  who  might 
receive  the  ball  in  that  position.  When  near  the 
centre  of  the  floor,  but  in  the  defending  team's 
territory,  the  remaining  four  men  should  line  up 
behind  the  man  jumping,  between  him  and  their 
own  goal,  in  a  position  similar  to  a  five-man  de- 
fense. This  protects  the  goal  and  at  the  same  time 
permits  of  a  quick  change  to  the  offense.  If  near 
the  centre  of  the  floor  but  in  the  opponents'  half 
of  the  court  one  man  plays  in  front  and  two  men 
behind,  each  a  little  to  the  side  of  their  man  jump- 
ing. One  guard  is  back.  The  ball  is  batted  to 
one  of  the  men  who  is  behind  and  to  the  side, 
or  to  the  man  in  front.  The  same  formation  may 
be  used  when  the  ball  is  held  near  the  oppo- 
nents' basket. 

The  most  successful  type  of  oflFensive  play  is 
that  which  is  hard  and  fast.  In  most  cases  it  is 
started  quickly,  so  that  before  any  defensive  for- 
mation can  be  assumed  the  team  with  the  ball 
has  advanced  into  its  opponents'  territory  and  is 
menacing  the  goal.  The  idea  of  the  attacking 
team  should  be  to  overrun  the  opponents  and  to 
make  them  do  all  the  guarding.     This  is  especially 


70  BASKET  BALL 

true  if  the  team  is  behind  and  it  is  near  the  end 
of  the  game.  There  is  little  difference  whether 
the  game  is  lost  by  two  points  or  a  dozen.  There- 
fore, a  team  should  be  willing  to  take  a  chance  and 
do  everything  possible  to  push  the  offense,  as 
there  is  everything  to  gain  and  nothing  to  lose. 
A  team  cannot  be  successful  if  the  men  are  con- 
tinually worrying  about  their  opponents*  scoring. 
The  idea  is  to  let  the  opponents  do  the  worrying. 
In  baseball  the  man  that  goes  to  bat  thinking 
about  the  wicked  curve  the  opposing  pitcher  is  go- 
ing to  throw  him  will,  in  all  probability,  never 
reach  first  base,  and  the  basket-ball  player  that 
allows  himself  to  think  the  same  way  will  not  have 
any  greater  success. 

While  the  offense  should  usually  be  fast,  it 
should  be  absolutely  under  control.  There  is  al- 
ways more  or  less  opposition  encountered  every 
time  the  ball  is  advanced  down  the  floor,  and 
unless  the  passes  are  accurate  and  the  plays  sure 
the  objective  will  never  be  reached.  The  wild, 
hurried  way  that  we  often  see  teams  start  down 
the  court  would  not  result  in  a  basket  if  there  were 
not  a  single  opponent  on  the  floor.  The  proof  of 
this  can  easily  be  found  in  watching  five  inex- 
perienced players  advancing  the  ball  toward  their 
goal  in  practice.  They  make  a  bad  pass,  bump 
into  each  other,  or  something  happens  resulting 


OFFENSE  71 

in  a  fumbled  ball.  Control  of  the  offense  is  very 
important.  The  more  experience  a  man  has  in 
basket  ball  the  less  he  runs  about  the  floor.  He 
leams  to  move  warily  and  speedily  and  to  be  at 
the  right  place  at  the  right  time.  Many  men 
spoil  their  playing  by  running  wildly  about, 
bumping  into  the  other  players,  and  giving  the 
impression  that  they  are  the  whole  team.  This 
type  of  man  may  win  the  applause  of  the  gallery, 
but  he  would  be  a  much  better  player  if  he  used 
his  head  more  and  his  feet  less. 

Strategy  and  the  element  of  surprise  should  be 
used  as  much  as  possible  in  offensive  work.  With 
the  modern  systems  of  guarding,  it  is  becoming 
more  and  more  difficult  to  catch  the  opposing 
team  off  its  guard,  but  there  are  still  many  possi- 
bilities. If  a  team  is  quick  and  the  players  wide 
awake  and  willing  to  take  a  chance,  a  goal  can 
often  be  scored  before  the  other  team  realizes 
what  is  going  on. 

Every  man  on  the  team  should  feel  the  respon- 
sibility of  contributing  toward  scoring  the  win- 
ning basket,  either  by  a  pass  or  a  shot.  It  is 
the  spirit  of  fight  and  determination  that  decides 
many  a  close  contest,  and  a  team  made  up  of 
that  type  of  players  will  always  be  a  hard  one  to 
beat. 


72  BASKET  BALL 

Signals 

A  signal  in  basket  ball  is  a  means  of  communi- 
cating the  intent  of  one  player  to  his  fellow  play- 
ers. Because  the  intent  of  a  player  so  seldom 
materializes  in  the  definite  action  he  contemplates, 
however,  signals  in  basket  ball  are  comparatively 
unimportant.  They  are  used  chiefly  in  starting 
plays  from  centre,  in  which  case  their  success  de- 
pends on  the  fact  that  one  centre  is  so  superior 
to  his  adversary  in  the  jump  that  he  can  tap  the 
ball  in  whatever  direction  he  wishes.  In  college 
and  high  school  games  this  condition  exists  but 
seldom.  Generally  the  men  are  so  nearly  equal 
that  neither  is  ever  certain  where  he  will  tap  the 
ball.  The  question  might  arise  here:  "Well,  if 
the  centre  has  'the  jump'  so  seldom,  why  bother 
with  diagrammatic  plays  at  all?"  The  answer  is 
twofold.  If  the  thing  works  even  a  few  times  in 
a  game,  it  is  worth  while.  A  set  play  on  signal 
which  works  three  times  might  tally  six  points, 
and  one  of  those  six  might  win  the  game.  Then, 
again,  diagrammatic  plays  when  practised  faith- 
fully become  second  nature  to  the  players,  and 
some  planned  play  may  always  be  started  no  mat- 
ter which  of  the  players  on  a  side  has  the  ball. 
Of  course  if  one  centre  is  markedly  superior  to 
another,  signals  and  regular  formations  play  a 
prominent  part  in  runnin?^  up  a  big  score. 


FIG.  14.     FOUL  SHOOTING.— PAGE   27. 
Underhand  Toss. 


OFFENSE  73 

Signals  are  mainly  used  in  plays  from  centre; 
but  they  may  be  used  from  a  "jump  ball*'  between 
players  in  any  section  of  the  floor,  in  formations 
following  a  free  throw,  from  plays  out  of  bounds, 
and  in  forming  an  offensive  at  any  time.  It  is  not 
so  much  the  use  of  given  signals  that  puts  through 
the  play,  though,  as  it  is  the  knowledge  of  the 
game  and  of  each  other  that  the  players  have. 
After  the  members  of  a  team  have  played  together 
for  some  time  they  know,  approximately,  what 
each  will  do  under  ordinary  conditions,  and  they 
depend  upon  that  and  calling  to  each  other  rather 
than  upon  signals  for  their  initiative  in  starting 
plays. 

Signals  are  divided  into  two  classes :  given  signals 
and  called  signals.  The  given  signals  may  be  any 
sign  made  with  the  different  parts  of  the  body. 
A  hand  brushed  over  the  head  may  mean  that 
the  centre  will  tap  the  ball  to  the  right  forward; 
rubbed  on  the  trousers  may  send  the  ball  to  the 
guard;  a  crooked  elbow,  a  tapping  of  the  foot,  a 
nod  of  the  head,  the  way  a  man  steps  into  the 
circle,  may  all  indicate  some  proposed  play.  The 
ingenuity  of  the  coach  or  the  players  themselves 
will  invent  many  which  should  be  intelligible  to 
fellow  players  but  meaningless  to  the  opposing 
team. 

The  called  signal  is  used  in  the  form  of  num- 


74  BASKET  BALL 

bers  or  letters  called  by  the  captain  or  the  centre. 
It  is  seldom  practicable  owing  to  the  fact  that  in 
the  excitement  of  a  game  the  galleries  are  in  an 
uproar,  and  it  is  difficult  for  the  players  on  the 
floor  to  hear  a  spoken  signal  under  these  conditions. 
The  whole  subject  of  signals  is  greatly  over- 
estimated by  young  coaches.  If  the  men  know 
basket  ball,  are  used  to  each  other,  and  keep  their 
eyes  open  it  is  seldom  necessary  to  consider  sig- 
nals at  all.  On  jump  ball  when  one  man  clearly 
has  the  advantage,  or  on  out-of-bounds  plays, 
signals  may  be  used,  but  as  a  rule  the  more  ex- 
perienced a  team  becomes  the  less  attention  the 
men  need  give  to  them. 


OFFENSE 


75 


DIAGRAM  1 
LF  r«ocive$  ball  and  pauei  to  RF.    RF,  if  unable  to  tkoot.  patM*  ball  aitkar  to  C 
or  LF  or  to  RG,  who  has  trailed  down  ceatrc  of  ioor. 

NoTB. — In  tkt  /ollotnHf  diapanis: 

— indicatet  course  of  ball. 

>  "       course  of  player. 

"       dribble. 

Oppooeots'  basket     "       basket  for  which  team  is  abaetiaa. 
Own  basket  "       basket  tcaa  is  def«adiB«. 


76 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  2 

LF  crcMMi  over  to  opposite  tide  to  receive  ball,  makei  pais  to  RF  or  centre,  and 
coatiauaa  to  origiAal  potitioo  of  RF. 


OFFENSE 


77 


-.9 

I 

F 

/, 

N 

1 

> 

f 

(/ 

/ 

K 

V 

/ 

L6 

/  N 

\c 

DIAGRAM  3 

C  taps  ball  back  to  basket.  LF  runs  to  centre  of  floor  to  pull  guard  away.  RF 
outmanceuvres  guard,  runs  toward  basket,  aecures  ball,  and  shoots.  IXi  goet  down 
at  side  of  floor.  LF  turns  and  cornea  in  as  fourth  man.  This  play  is  of  value  only 
when  C  completely  controU  ball. 


78 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  4 

Lf  MCurM  ball  aod  mak**  pan  to  C  at  left  of  baikat.     kf  comat  up  aad  cirdaa 
back.     LC  eroMM  to  rifht  (id*  of  floor.     LF  Uailt  id  a«  fourtk  maa. 


OFFENSE 


79 


DIAGRAM  6 

JtF  get*  ball,  paitei  to  LF,  who  hat  crotaed  to  opposite  fide  of  loor. 
to  kit.    Rf  tarna  when  making  patt  and  takes  centre  of  floor. 


C  go«(  over 


8o 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  6 

LF  seu  bftll  and  pauea  to  RF,  who  bai  cruMcd  over  to  left  side  of  floor.     RF  may 
•boot  or  pati  back  to  LF  or  C. 


OFFENSE 


Si 


DIAGRAM  7 

LF  g«U  ball,  dribbles  to  basket,  and  shoots.  If  he  is  blocked  he  may  pass  either 
to  C  OB  right.  RF,  who  has  crossed  over  to  left,  or  RG.  RF  comes  up  the  floor  on 
this  pUjr  ai>d  may  receive  the  initial  pass  from  C 


82 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  8 

LF  ttM  ball  and  dribblet  in  and  ihoou.    If  be  u  blocked  he  may  pan  either  to 
kF  oo  left,  to  C  on  ri(ht,  or  RG.    RF  crotiei  over  oo  thii  play  instead  of  coming  up. 


OFFENSE 


83 


DIAGRAM  9 

LF  recMTM  ball,  pauei  to  RF,  who  comet  down  centre.     He  may  dribble  and  shoot 
if  RF  \%  coTvrcd. 


84 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  10 

LF  woiTB*  ball,  pa««M  to  RF,  who  crotM*  owr  to  hi«  left.  HF  start*  in  >•  refer** 
Hmm*  uf  b«ll.  Pail  Biay  be  made  to  C  if  KF  it  covered,  or  LF  may  dribble  and 
tkaat. 


OFFENSE 


SS 


6 
i 

A 

LF 

V 

A; 

/--RF 

r 

If 

IG 

J2- 

^RC 

DIAGRAM  H 

L/  reccivcE  ball,  passes  to  LG,  who  comes  down  outside  of  floor.     LG  dribbles  to 
b*iket  and  shoots  or  passes  to  Rf  or  centre.    LG  should  not  surt  in  too  toon. 


86 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  12 

He  r«e«irM  ball  tad  dribble*  to  batkct.    He  may  pats  to  kF,  who  crotaat  to  tkc 
laft,  to  LF,  who  i«  foiiowing  him  ia,  or  back  to  C. 


OFFENSE 


87 


DIAGRAM  18 

LF  receive*  ball  behind  C  and  paiset  to  ^C,  who  goae  down  right  lAi^  of  floor. 
JIG  majr  dribblt  in  and  ahoot  or,  if  blocked,  paai  to  RF  or  C. 


88 


BASKET  BALL 


^ 

LF>^ 

-Ix' 

r^-\ 

u--^ 

LQ 

R 

.=2» 

DIAGRAM  14 


L/"  receives  ball  on  opposite  side  aad  pastes  to  HG,  who  majr  dribble  ia  and  shsot 
Of  pais  to  RF  or  C. 


OFFENSE 


89 


DIAGRAM  15 
LG  rcetivM  ball  and  p»Me*  to  RF.    RF  *booU  or,  if  oovcrad,  pawet  to  C.  LI,  or  l£. 


90 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  16 

US  raccivM  ball  aad  patMi  aither  to  kF,  who  haa  run  in,  or  to  LF,  wko  kat  are«M4 
•r«r.     If  LG  cannot  mak*  pati  kc  dribMea  ai  far  ai  poaaibla  and  liioett. 


OFFENSE 


91 


1                                   L/>^ 

< 

1           ..^""i^      W 

-                  1                  Vj 

Y") 

'^c— ^ 

u 

^ 

\ 

RG 

^ 

JMaM«b«l 
bfawthaMa 


DIAGRAM  17 
Mdl  p«tM«  M  LT,  who  ptMM  to  KF.    MG  oeadamw  4ewM  ioor.    C 


92 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  18 
Lf  acu  bsU  Uck  of  C  and  pMM*  to  Rf.    RJ  p«mm  to  C,  w1m>  tboou. 


OFFENSE 


93 


DIAGRAM  10 

Fonrardi  tad  guardt  chance  po«itioa«  on  floor, 
and  forth  with  Rf  until  doM  enough  to  shoot. 


LF  gttt  katl  and  paMM  it  hack 


94 


BASKET  BALL 


Lf  icu  ball  and  paiM*  to  LG. 

lo  t«ar4  p«*ittoa. 


DIAGRAM  30 
LG  iMMct  «itK«r  to  il/  or  itC.     LF  torn**  back 


OFFENSE 


95 


DIAGRAM  ai 

C  hat  ball  out.  Forwardi  croit  to  opposite  lidei  of  floor.  Pa**  !•  made  to  tuard 
coming  down  centre  or  to  either  forward.  If  gnard  reccivet  ball  b*  may  dribble 
ia  and  thoot  or  pan  back  again  to  centre. 


96 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  22 

C  bai  ball  out.  All  other  playeri  except  RG  advaace  toward  ceatrc  ouia  a«  if  to 
receive  paaa.  Thi*  clear*  floor  on  opposite  tide  permitticig  KG  to  raceir*  ball  and  10 
iboot.     C  (ollowi  ball  io  and  max  receive  paaa  back  frooi  guard. 


97 


DIAGRAM  23 

C  h*a  ball  and  passes  either  to  Rf  or  LF.    If  both  forward*  arc  covered  tka  pat* 
maj  be  made  to  oae  of  the  guards. 


98 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  24 

C  hat  ball.     Lf  comet  back  to  guard  poaition.     IG  croatea  brhiad  Kf  tmi  ntmrtt 
pa**  from  C.     Paai  may  be  made  to  KG,  who  followi  LC  in. 


DIAGRAM  26 

C  hai  ball.    MF  i*  fixit  man  in.    LF  come*  ia  jutt  after  KF.     If  paat  caaaot  kc 
ma4«  to  either  (onrard,  ball  is  giTtfl  to  JtC,  who  (hoott  or  pa*M«  back  t*  C. 


JOO 


DIAGRAM  2(1 


Rf  cro<ic>  to  leh.     RG  comet  d«WB  right  luJe  (A  loor,  uk««  pM*,  and  m**«* 
cilliM'  back  to  C  or  to  LG. 


OFFENSE 


tot 


c 

■^ 

J 

LG 

\ 

\ 
RC 

-^ 

DIAGRAM  27 


Forwards  (o  to  their  rcipective  ildet  of  floor,  drawing  opposins  guard*  away  Ixam 
CMtrt  ai  floor.     LG  r«c«trM  pa«»  and  tboott.     If  LG  ia  covered,  pan  may  be  mmA* 


I02 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  S8 

kF  hM  ball.     Other  pUjr*ri  csctpt  LG  go  towM'4 
aM4«  to  K;  or  to  C  at  1. 


ollMr  titf*  of   tooT.     P»M  M 


OFFENSE 


103 


DIAGRAM  20 

C  «Urtt  toward  pUjrer  out  of  boHBdt  aad  c«U(  for  ball.  PtM  i*  ■•4«,  kowtvw, 
«o  RG,  XG  patM*  back  to  1/  or  C.  If  RF  rawirtt  bail  k«  m»r  alMM,  m  pt—  to 
Cor  I/. 


104 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  30 

LF  and  RG  advance  toward  oppooentt'  go*\.     RF  make*  pan  to  whichever  one 
U  uncovered.     If  both  arc  guarded,  pat*  U  made  to  C,  who  crotM*  over  behind  RG. 


OFFENSE 


105 


DIAGRAM  31 

JIG  ha*  b«U  and  pauc*  to  RF  near  lide-liue.  If  nncovefed,  pau  in*)f  be  mad«  to 
LF  or  C. 

Plays  51  to  }6  may  be  aaed  when  team  pasiiog  la  from  under  ita  own  backet  U  op- 
poied.  The  opponents  here  may  be  trying  to  intercept  the  ball  rather  thap  pUjr  the 
ive-man  defenae. 


io6 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  32 

C  aad  MC  lurt  la  toward  their  ewn  goal.     Pati  i>  made  to  LF,  who 
liddU  ol  floor. 


OFFENSE 


107 


DIAGRAM  83 


FMwaHt  croM  to  oppotiu  M—  of  loer. 
P»M  mtty  b«  »«4«  to  C  or  J«r. 


I./"  crcwMt  first.     SF  racairci  paM. 


io8 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  34 
MG  MsliM  p«M  to  LG,  cone*  in,  receivei  ball  asain.  and  paiiM  to  JtF. 


OFFENSE 


109 


DIAGRAM  35 

RG  patiet  to  SF,  runs  in  and  receivci  ball  again.     His  play  now  may  be  to  any 
of  the  three  men  going  down  left  side  of  floor.     RG  and  RF  go  down  right  side  ef 


no 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  80 

PUx   lUpcnd*  upon  MKOMiful  crUicroti  work  of  forirtKlt.    The  laax 
b«  made  to  RF  under  foal.     Oth«r  pliyeri  cootinut  doirB  the  floor. 


OFFENSE 


in 


DIAGRAM  37 

If  ktU  coaMt  straight  back  after  mitaed  free  throw,  ihooter  try*  again  (or  the 
kaaket  or.  if  covered,  pa>se«  back  to  guard,  playing  imotadiately  behind  him. 
Ptayt  37  to  41  arc  from  foul  circle  after  an  attempted  fr«c  throw. 


112 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  38 

If  btikct  u  mused  and  ball  drops  to  one  side,  it  is  tipped  back  toward  the  side- 
line hy  the  plaxer  standing  on  that  side  of  the  basket.  Foul  thrower  runs  over  to 
that  side,  recovers  ball,  and  shoots.  He  waits,  however,  until  he  scea  on  which  side 
tA  the  basket  the  ball  is  going  to  drop.     He  may  make  pass  to  guard  who  cornea  in. 


OFFENSE 


"3 


DIAGRAM  89 

If  batket  it  missed  and  bail  falls  on  left  tide,  C  Ups  it  back  to  fouUine  to  RG,  wko 
comes  in,  gets  ball,  and  ihoott.  If  ball  drops  on  right  tide  of  batket  the  correspond- 
ing play  i«  made  from  that  side  by  LF. 


114 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  40 

If  ba»k(t  i(  milled  and  ball  drops  to  left  tide,  it  is  tipped  back  to  JiG,  who  comet 
down  floor,  (eta  ball,  and  shoots.  If  ball  drops  on  opposite  side  or  come*  straight 
ksck  to  io«l  tkfoww,  h  maf  be  batted  over  to  guard. 


OFFENSE 


"S 


DIAGRAM  41 

C  tundt  back  and  to  the  tide  of  tiie  foal  circie.  If  goal  U  asUtad,  he  niB*  i>, 
jumps  iQto  the  air,  and  tipi  the  ball  into  the  basket.  Two  mea  laar  pUy  back  aod 
both  ni(h  in.  The  play  mar  be  varied  by  haviac  player  vho  rvthet  ia  tiy  the  ball 
back  to  foal  thooter. 


Ii6 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  42 

4^  himp*.  lip*  b»U  to  C,  and  goet  down  left  tide  of  f oor.     C  dribbUt  or  p«iM«  to 
LF,  who  CfotMi  orar  to  rixht.    Criitcrott  pUy  down  the  floor. 
PUy«4*  «o  4{  art  from  "JMnp  ball"  potition. 


OFFENSE 


"7 


DIAGRAM  43 
IC  jmMpi.     LF  g«U  b*U,  who  pastct  to  C.    CriitcroM  play  down  tk«  floor. 


ii8 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  44 

LG  Ami  LF  fo  in  on  their  retpective  lides;  LF  geti  ball,  p«MC«  to  RF,  who  p«>iet 
to  LG.  PaM  mar  be  made  to  C  Pla/ert  SMume  tkeae  potitiea*  ««  •ooo  at  held 
haH  ia  aatlad  ia  thia  taniterx. 


OFFENSE 


119 


DIAGRAM  45 

This  pWy  is  the  uinc  at  44,  except  that  it  Is  on  opposite  side.     Ball  aajr  b«  kattad 
to  C  if  man  jumpias  daarly  has  jniap,  or  to  LG  ob  iaaidc  a£  floor. 


I20 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  46 

5  ioterccptt  patt,  i  codim  down  floor  iDd  take*  long  pan  frooi  $  aad  in  tttm  (ivci 
ball  to  4,  who  paiMi  to  }  to  (hoot,  t  might  have  patted  to  I  or  5  if  h«  had  oot  boo 
covered  by  A. 

Thit  play  illaatratea  how  lonf  and  ihort  past  may  be  eotnbioed  ia  taking  ball 
dowu  floor.  It  may  b«  oaed  where  one  forward  ita/t  cloae  to  oppoaeota'  baaket, 
and  the  oppofiaot*  ute  the  uodem  foraation  in  dcfcaac;  1.  /.,  e&c  ru*rd  behiod  tlK 
other. 


OFFENSE 


121 


DIAGRAM  47 

In  praceding  piay  forward  comes  straight  ia  to  meet  long  pass.  Im  this  ptaf  for- 
ward crosses  to  opposite  tid«  to  raceiye  pase.  I  pastes  to  4,  who  shoots.  Pate  Busy 
be  made  to  j  from  t. 


122 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  48 

Thi*  pltjr  illuiuate*  in  offcBK  begua  from  a  fire-man  defcaac  and  atkinat  a  twim 
type  of  defense:  i.  t.,  two  guards  back  one  on  each  tide  at  floor.  By  short  p«sae« 
bail  is  worked  to  rifht  side  of  floor,  givinf  nia«M>»  fvacd  cfcaace  to  go  down  Wft  side 
and  shoot. 


OFFENSE 


123 


DIAGRAM  49 

5  intercepu  ball  on  attempt  of  oppoBcnta  to  break  ive-man  doleaie,  aad  pactes 
to  I,  who  dribblet  down  centre  of  floor.  2  and  4  go  down  outside  of  floor,  drawing 
out  ruard*  A  and  ^,  if  I  is  blocked  by  d  or  B. 


124 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  60 

S  (cti  ball  and  p«Me«  to  l  at  tide  and  centre  of  floor,  s  may  paif  to  i.  I  drib- 
blet and  pasaea  to  j,  who  in  turn  paiM*  to  4.  Tha  criaacroa*  paat  in  eorabinatioa 
with  tha  dribble  ia  illuitratad  her*,  x  it  drawing  out  guard  E  who  otk«rwiae  might 
tackle  ].     If  E  guard*  },  i  naf  pan  to  a. 


OFFENSE 


125 


DIAGRAM  51 

1  tmt  (or  goal  from  middle  of  floor.     4,  2,  and  }  rutJl  in  to  (ct  ball, 
leaf-abot  method  of  offcnt*  agaiait  the  five-man  defeaec. 


Thit  ii  the 


126 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  62 

5  ha<  ball.  He  feint*  to  p«i«  to  I,  but  make*  pat*  to  2,  who  foea  ia  b«4w»cu  jt 
and  C.  ]  and  4  go  do»n  ttdci.  If  B  and  C  play  3  and  4,  a  eithar  pane*  to  1  vr 
dribble*  in  and  ahoou.  If  D  and  S  come  in  to  int«riere  witii  play.  pa*(  U 
]  or  4,  who  continite  down  outside  of  court. 


OFFENSE 


127 


DIAGRAM  63 
i  pi  mi  to  I,  who  givM  baU  to  3.    2  dribbk*  ia  and  alMou,  or  if  biockad  by  D, 


128 


BASKET  BALL 


DIAGRAM  64 

3  ukti  potition  between  linei  of  defente  ai  tooo  as  it  ii  apparent  oppoocat*  hare 
taken  poaitioa.  5  and  4  go  down  aidei  and  cro«  over.  2  feinta  tbot  and  uiaa  to 
draw  A  oat  ol  poiition.  He  then  pastei  acroaa  to  1.  I  bounce  pataet  to  ).  ]  mar 
paw  to  4  or  S,  or  if  thejr  are  covered  by  D  and  E  bt  may  dribble  in  and  ihoot,  or 
ke  may  pat*  w  1  or  2,  who  may  come  in. 


OFFENSE 


ia9 


DIAGRAM  66 

3  and  4  go  in  os  right  tide  of  court,    s  !>•••«*  to  I,  who  with  J  work*  the  ball  dowa 
to  vhhia  >hootiBg  dittAnoe  of  the  goaL    The.dangcr  hen  U  that  C  will  foroa  3  OMtaide. 


I30 


BASKET   BALL 


DIAGRAM  fiS 

5  ukM  poiiuoa  ai  in  54.  4  goe*  down  and  back  to  poaitioa  between  line*  ol  d*- 
f«««c  I  bofwace  paMci  to  4  or  ].  If  D  covert  4,  1  pattei  to  5.  j  goci  down  opp^ 
lite  iid«.  I  majr  make  preliminary  (cint  of  ihot  from  middle  of  floor  to  draw  J  tad 
B  oat  of  poaitioB. 


CHAPTER  VII 
DEFENSE 

The  subject  of  defense  in  basket  ball  at  once 
brings  up  the  mooted  question:  "Is  it  better  to 
play  the  man  or  the  ball  ? "  As  we  have  said  be- 
fore, it  is  not  our  intention  to  be  too  dogmatic 
in  this  work,  for  opinions  vary,  and  successful 
coaches  use  both  methods;  yet  it  would  seem  that, 
after  all,  basket  ball  is  played  with  a  ball,  and 
there  can  be  no  scoring  unless  the  ball  is  secured. 
A  side  cannot  win  by  simply  playing  the  man. 
The  ball  must  be  intercepted.  It  should  follow, 
then,  that  the  better  defense  would  be  to  play 
the  ball  and  then  immediately  start  an  offensive. 
For  the  axiom  is  as  old  as  time  that  "the  best 
defense  is  a  strong  offense."  And  again,  as  a 
wit  once  said:  "You  can't  throw  the  man  into 
the  basket."  He  is  a  poor  player  who,  facing  the 
man  he  is  expected  to  guard,  is  hit  on  the  back 
of  the  head  with  the  ball.  The  successful  player 
will  watch  both  the  man  he  is  guarding  and  the 
ball,  and  when  an  opponent  starts  to  receive  a 
pass,  by  agility  or  craft  he  rushes  in  and  himself 
intercepts  it.     The  team  which  is  quick  on  the 

131 


132  BASKET  BALL 

tap-ofF  need  not  worry  about  defense.  Defense 
is  only  secondary.  Offense  is  the  primary  play. 
But  as  only  one  team  can  be  on  the  offensive  at 
one  time,  it  naturally  follows  that  there  must  be 
defensive  play;  and  so  we  must  consider  how  best 
this  defense  may  be  accomplished. 

In  general  there  are  three  standard  forms — the 
tandem  guard,  the  twin  guard,  and  the  five  man. 
The  first  two  are  more  or  less  set  formations,  the 
last  a  formation  rapidly  taken  when  a  side  loses 
the  ball.  All  have  advantages,  all  have  draw- 
backs, and  none  can  prevent  the  long,  accurate 
shot  from  scoring.  That  is  one  of  the  happy  un- 
certainties of  basket  ball.  One  side  may  be 
ahead  by  a  point,  and  in  the  last  second  of  play 
the  other  may  score  a  basket  by  a  shot  taken 
from  the  far  end  of  the  floor.  No  possible  de- 
fense is  of  value  here. 

Against  teams  who  persistently  keep  a  forward 
down  under  the  opponents'  basket,  the  tandem 
method  of  play  is  best.  In  this  formation  a 
**back"  guard  stays  back  to  watch  the  opponent 
in  his  territory,  the  second  or  "floor"  guard 
comes  up  to  or  past  the  middle  of  the  floor  and 
acts  as  secondary  offense,  backing  up  the  attack- 
ing line  of  centre  and  two  forwards.  He  is  the 
first  line  of  defense  if  the  play  comes  back  toward 
his  own  goal.     This  method  may  be  used  to  ad- 


FIG.  15. 


FOUL  SHOOTING. 
Chest  Shot. 


-PAGE  28. 


DEFENSE 


133 


DIAGRAM  57 
D  and  E  icpfctent  approsimau  pontioiM  o{  gwutl*  in  taodem-fiiard  de/eate. 


134  BASKET   BALL 

vantage  even  though  there  be  no  forward  down 
underneath  the  basket.  In  this  case  the  back 
guard  may  come  up  as  far  as  the  centre  of  the 
floor,  and  the  floor  guard  as  far  as  the  opponents* 
foul  circle.  This  back  guard,  however,  must 
never  allow  an  opposing  player  to  come  between 
himself  and  the  goal.  He  must  also  be  something 
of  a  general,  because  he  alone  is  facing  the  field  of 
play,  and  his  quick  eye  and  snap  judgment  may 
create  and  meet  many  situations  which  his  busier 
team-mates  are  not  in  a  position  to  see.  Perhaps 
his  most  trying  situation  is  the  one  where,  while 
near  his  own  goal,  he  has  to  determine  which  of 
two  men  rushing  down  the  floor  he  is  to  play  in 
order  to  prevent  a  possible  score.  If  he  plays  the 
man  who  has  the  ball,  that  man  may  pass  to  his 
team-mate,  who  will  have  a  free  shot.  If  he 
covers  the  man  who  has  not  the  ball,  the  other 
man  will  dribble  in  for  an  easy  basket.  Possibly 
his  only  play  is  to  feint  an  attack  upon  the  man 
with  the  ball,  force  him  to  pass,  and  then  rush 
over  to  the  other.  But  at  best  his  chance  of  pre- 
venting a  shot  is  slight,  and  he  cannot  be  blamed 
if  in  this  situation  he  sticks  to  one  man  and  trusts 
to  the  speed  of  the  floor  guard  or  one  of  his  other 
team-mates  to  come  to  his  aid.  This  is  the  prin- 
cipal weakness  of  having  only  one  man  back. 
On  the  whole,  though,  this  tandem  formation 


DEFENSE 


135 


DIAGRAM  58 
D  Mid  M  raprtMot  approciaiaM  poiitioB*  of  gu*'^*  io  twia-risrd  dWMtt. 


136  BASKET  BALL 

permits  of  sending  four  men  into  the  attack,  and 
is  a  good  defense  to  assume  when  the  ball  is  put 
in  play  at  centre,  the  two  forwards  with  the 
centre  as  the  front  line,  the  floor  guard  to  back 
them  up,  and  the  back  guard  as  field  general  to 
direct  the  play. 

The  twin-guard  style  of  play  is  an  excellent 
defensive  system,  but  has  the  disadvantage  of 
holding  two  men  out  of  the  attack  if  they  act 
strictly  as  guards.  Team  after  team  has  used 
this  system  to  great  advantage.  The  two  guards 
are  posted  on  either  side  of  the  court  between  the 
centre  circle  and  their  own  goal.  Here  they  wait, 
and  when  the  attack  comes  are  in  good  position 
to  break  it  up.  They  are  stationed  where  they 
can  intercept  most  of  the  passes  made  down 
toward  their  basket.  Only  three  or  more  men 
can  go  through  them,  and  by  the  time  their  op- 
ponents have  started  an  offense  the  guards'  team- 
mates have  rallied  to  their  support;  When  the 
ball  is  in  the  possession  of  their  own  team  they 
come  farther  up  the  floor.  To  a  certain  extent 
this  is  a  modified  form  of  the  five-man  defense,  for 
when  the  ball  passes  to  the  opponents  again,  the 
two  guards  immediately  drop  back  near  their 
own  goal,  and  the  three  forward  players  fall  back 
with  them. 

The  five-man  defense  is  formed  in  either  of  two 


•IG.  16.     CROSS-BODY   SHOT   BACK  OVERHEAD.— PAGE  29. 


DEFENSE  137 

ways :  having  all  five  men  line  up  across  the  middle 
of  the  floor  to  wait  for  their  opponents  to  break 
through,  or  to  have  three  men  on  the  front  line 
and  two  others  just  behind.  The  formation  de- 
pends upon  the  fact  that  while  the  opponents  are 
down  in  their  end  of  the  floor  they  may  play  with 
the  ball  as  long  as  they  wish,  yet  be  unable  to 
score.  It  has  its  drawbacks  and  merits.  In  the 
former  it  is  evident  that  it  is  purely  defensive, 
and  takes  every  man  on  the  team  into  it.  There- 
fore, it  would  be  used  only  by  teams  which  are 
ahead.  A  team  behind  in  the  score  would  have 
to  make  an  attempt  to  intercept  the  ball  in  order 
to  win,  or  their  opponents  would  stall  by  passing 
the  ball  in  their  own  half  of  the  court.  If  the 
opponents  were  ahead  there  would  be  no  point 
in  their  taking  the  risk  of  losing  the  ball  by  try- 
ing to  break  through.  Then  again  the  play  is 
invalidated  if  by  a  long  shot  from  beyond  the 
centre  of  the  floor  a  basket  is  made,  and  this,  b)'' 
the  way,  is  one  means  of  breaking  through  it. 
It  must  be  formed  instantly  or  it  is  of  no  value. 
If  the  offensive  gets  under  way  and  past  it  on  the 
floor,  it  is  no  longer  a  five-man  defense;  it  becomes 
a  race,  with  the  advantage  in  favor  of  the  ofi^ense. 
Truly  it  has  its  weakness,  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  is  so  good  that  practically  all  teams  use  it,  and 
when  properly  formed  it  requires  all  the  skill  and 


138  BASKET  BALL 

strategy  a  team  can  command  to  break  through. 
First,  it  permits  of  five  men  on  the  offense,  and 
each  man  knows  that  if  the  ball  passes  to  the 
other  side  he  immediately  must  go  on  defense 
and  draw  back  to  his  station  in  the  centre  of  the 
floor  before  the  other  team  can  get  there.  Second, 
it  uses  five  men  on  defense,  and  is  impregnable 
against  any  system  which  sends  only  three  or  four 
men  down  on  attack,  and  even  those  teams  which 
send  five  find  it  almost  impossible  to  penetrate 
it.  Third,  if  the  team  is  ahead  it  permits  of  a 
breathing  spell,  and  a  recuperative  moment  while 
the  opponents  are  manoeuvring  for  position. 

There  are  two  ways  of  playing  this  defense: 
the  position  style  and  the  man-to-man.  Gen- 
erally the  position  style  is  played  with  three  men 
on  the  front  line  and  two  directly  behind,  as  in 
the  diagram. 

The  object  of  each  player  is  to  guard  a  respec- 
tive section  of  the  floor,  and  he  must  not  be  drawn 
out  of  this  position  by  any  apparently  tempting 
chance  to  secure  the  ball.  If  the  diagrams  under 
offensive  play  are  studied  it  will  be  seen  what  a 
difficult  matter  it  is  to  get  through  this  formation 
for  a  close  shot.  If  the  attacker  dribbles  down  the 
side-lines  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  defense  to  force 
him  out  of  bounds.  If  the  play  comes  down  the 
centre  of  the  floor,  successfully  eluding  the  first 


DEFENSE 


139 


DIAGRAM  59 
Fire-nun  deiente,  position  (tyle  of  plajr. 


I40  BASKET  BALL 

line,  it  is  met  by  two  defensive  men,  who  may 
smother  it  before  a  pass  or  a  shot  can  be  made. 
The  three  forward  players  may  be  brought  back 
to  assist  the  second  line  if  several  of  the  attacking 
team  get  through,  or  they  may  remain  in  their 
position,  ready  to  receive  the  ball  from  the  back 
guards  and  to  start  their  own  offensive  down  the 
floor.  In  case  the  attackers  take  a  long  shot  for 
goal  the  two  back  guards  may  be  expected  to  re- 
ceive the  ball  from  the  backboard  if  the  shot  be 
missed.  The  three  forwards,  waiting  to  receive 
it,  start  their  own  offense.  All  five  men  may  now 
get  into  the  attack. 

In  the  man-to-man  type  of  defense,  the  five  de- 
fensive players  line  up  across  the  floor  between 
the  foul  circle  and  centre,  and  each  man  picks  his 
opponent  as  he  comes  through.  This  is  the  sys- 
tem to  use  when  each  player  on  the  team  is  re- 
sponsible for  his  own  man.  When  a  man's  op- 
ponent comes  down  the  opposite  side  of  the  court, 
however,  the  drawback  in  this  style  of  defense 
is  evident.  The  defensive  player  must  try  to  out- 
guess his  opponent  and  manoeuvre  for  position 
so  as  to  be  opposite  to  him  as  he  comes  through. 
A  zigzag  attack  is  very  confusing  when  this 
method  is  used. 

Considering  the  five-man  defense,  however,  as 
a  distinct  style  of  play,  we  may  safely  say  that 


FIG.  17.    PUT  OR   PLACED  SHOT.— PAGE  31. 
Coming  in  from  Right. 


DEFENSE 


141 


DIAGRAM  60 
Fire-man  defease,  maa-to-man  tjrpe  of  pUjr- 


142  BASKET  BALL 

in  the  opinion  of  most  of  the  leading  coaches  of 
the  country  it  offers  more  advantages  than  any 
other  system,  and  is  now  universally  in  use  in 
scholastic  and  collegiate  basket  ball.  Funda- 
mentally it  is  sound,  because  five  men  scattered 
all  over  the  floor  cannot  be  expected  to  form  so 
solid  or  united  a  defense  as  five  men  in  a  body  in 
front  of  their  goal.  But  whatever  defense  is  used 
must  depend  on  the  offense  that  opposes  it.  The 
size  of  the  court,  the  height  of  the  ceiling,  the  style 
of  the  opp>onents'  play,  and  their  skill  and  speed 
may  all  call  for  an  adoption  of  a  standard  form 
or  a  modification  or  blending  of  all  three  forms. 
Judgment  on  the  part  of  the  coach,  skill  and  ex- 
perience on  the  part  of  the  player,  alertness  in 
diagnosing  the  adversary's  attack  and  speed  in 
meeting  it,  and  the  ever-readiness  to  shift  to  the 
offense  are  the  salient  features  of  successful  de- 
fensive play. 


PART  III 


CHAPTER  VIII 
THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING 

Training  for  participation  in  athletics  is  the 
process  by  which  the  ability  of  the  individual  or 
team  is  increased  to  the  maximum  degree  of  effi- 
ciency. The  object  is  to  raise  the  standard  of 
performance  and  to  meet  the  demands  on  the 
body  made  by  some  particular  sport,  and  involves 
both  mental  and  physical  measures.  When  prop- 
erly carried  out,  training  results  in  an  improve- 
ment of  all  the  functions  of  the  body.  Many  of 
the  injuries  and  much  of  the  harm  resulting  from 
athletics  could  be  prevented  if  adequate  super- 
vision and  training  were  provided  for  the  teams. 

It  is  exceedingly  important  that  the  player 
train  faithfully  before  and  during  the  basket-ball 
season.  Even  after  the  season  is  over  he  should 
not  stop  work  altogether  but  continue  to  take  some 
exercise.  This  is  true  after  any  sport  that  re- 
quires intensive  training.  As  stated  before,  bas- 
ket ball  is  a  game  that  requires  a  maximum  of 
speed,  skill,  and  endurance,  and  progress  in  the 
ability  to  play  the  game  is  made  by  increasing 
these  qualities.     There  is  no  game  that  requires 

MS 


146  BASKET  BALL 

a  greater  degree  of  fitness  than  basket  ball,  and 
there  are  but  few  sports  where  the  results  of  little 
or  no  training  are  so  noticeable.  To  play  his  best 
game  the  player  must  be  in  good  condition. 
There  is  no  exception  to  this.  The  man  who 
breaks  training  can  no  more  play  a  first-class 
game  than  a  runner  who  is  out  of  condition  can 
run  a  quarter  mile  in  record  time,  and  we  know 
the  latter  is  impossible.  In  basket  ball  the  player 
expends  a  great  deal  of  energy  in  a  very  short 
time.  This  means  a  heavy  demand  upon  the 
body's  reserve  power,  and  especially  is  this  true 
of  the  circulatory  and  respiratory  systems.  The 
athlete  who,  on  account  of  lack  of  training  or 
for  any  other  reason,  such  as  a  bad  heart,  is  not 
able  to  meet  this  increased  demand  on  the  body, 
soon  gets  out  of  breath  and  has  either  to  drop 
out  or  become  a  handicap  to  his  team. 

Medical  Examination 

It  should  be  the  custom  of  every  coach,  as  well 
as  a  strict  rule  of  every  school,  that  before  the 
appHcant  for  the  team  is  allowed  to  begin  practice 
at  the  beginning  of  the  season  he  should  have  a 
thorough  medical  examination.  It  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  give  the  benefits  of  this  procedure  to  just 
the  eight  or  ten  men  that  make  the  regular  team; 
every  candidate  for  the  team  should  be  examined. 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  147 

The  reason  for  taking  this  precaution  with  basket- 
ball players  is  obvious,  although  it  is  surprising 
how  often  it  is  not  done,  and  it  is  pathetic  how 
often  harm  comes  from  neglecting  it.  It  is  only 
by  an  examination  that  those  in  charge  of  the 
team  can  tell  whether  or  not  the  players  are  physi- 
cally sound  and  able  to  indulge  in  this  strenuous 
sport.  Those  in  charge  of  adolescent  boys  should 
especially  be  concerned,  as  there  is  great  danger 
of  injury  to  the  heart  at  this  age.  The  game  is 
not  worth  the  chance  taken  in  neglecting  this  im- 
portant matter.  The  coach  and  the  school  au- 
thorities should  not  forget  the  responsibility  they 
have  for  the  students  in  their  charge.  It  often 
takes  a  long  time  for  an  athletic  sport  to  recover 
from  a  blow  it  has  received  in  the  minds  of  the 
parents  when  something  serious  happens  to  a 
man,  not  to  speak  of  the  more  important  consid- 
eration of  the  injury,  and  perhaps  the  death,  of 
the  player.  Besides  being  of  vital  importance  to 
the  player,  the  examination  may  be  of  consider- 
able value  to  the  coach.  It  gives  him  an  idea  of 
the  physical  condition  of  the  players  and  how 
much  he  may  expect  from  each  one.  He  learns 
from  the  examination  the  weaknesses  and  limita- 
tions that  certain  men  have.  If  a  coach  knew, 
as  a  result  of  the  examination,  that  a  player  had 
impaired  vision  it  might  save  him  considerable 


148  BASKET   BALL 

time  and  energy  in  trying  to  teach  that  man  how 
to  shoot. 

Whenever  it  is  possible  the  examination  should 
be  made  by  a  physician.  If  a  physician  is  not 
available  and  the  coach  is  forced  to  assume  that 
responsibility,  he  should  at  least  try  to  find  out 
the  condition  of  the  men's  hearts.  As  a  result 
of  some  previous  experience  or  an  examination 
either  by  the  school  or  family  physician,  the  boy 
with  a  bad  heart  may  be  able  to  inform  the  coach 
of  this  condition.  He  may  do  quite  the  contrary, 
however,  and  try  to  conceal  the  facts.  A  very 
good  question  to  ask  the  player  is  whether  or  not 
he  gets  out  of  breath  easily.  He  should  be  asked 
if  he  is  able  to  run  up  a  flight  of  stairs  without 
experiencing  any  difficulty  in  breathing.  If  there 
is  a  history  of  any  such  trouble,  it  probably  means 
a  bad  heart,  as  getting  out  of  breath  is  not  a 
question  of  weak  lungs,  as  is  commonly  supposed, 
but  rather  that  of  a  weak  heart. 

There  have  been  several  tests  worked  out  to  de- 
termine the  efficiency  of  the  heart.  A  simple  test 
that  may  be  used  to  advantage  is  the  one  that  has 
been  devised  by  Dr.  W.  L.  Foster.  This  test 
makes  use  of  the  standing  pulse  rate,  the  rate 
immediately  after  running  in  place  for  fifteen  sec- 
onds at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  steps 
per  minute,  and  tiie  rate  forty-five  seconds  after 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  149 

the  work  has  ceased.  In  making  the  test  the 
standing  pulse  rate  is  taken  and  the  rate  per 
minute  recorded.  If  the  player  is  nervous  the 
rate  may  be  a  Uttle  above  normal,  but  it  should 
not  be  very  high.  Doctor  Foster  found  the  aver- 
age rate  of  twenty-five  hundred  boys  between  the 
ages  ot  fourteen  and  eighteen  to  be  ninety-seven 
per  minute.  The  normal  adult  pulse  rate  varies, 
but  it  should  not  be  much  above  ninety.  The 
average  is  seventy-two  beats  per  minute.  After 
the  standing  pulse  rate  is  taken  and  recorded,  the 
boy  runs  in  place  for  exactly  fifteen  seconds  at  the 
rate  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  steps  per  minute. 
Immediately  after  he  stops  running  the  pulse  is 
again  taken  and  recorded.  As  little  time  as  pos- 
sible should  be  consumed  in  determining  the  rate 
after  the  exercise,  as  the  record  should  be  that  of 
the  pulse  immediately  after  running,  and  not  after 
he  has  rested  several  seconds.  The  rate  should 
not  increase  more  than  twenty  to  forty  beats  per 
minute  as  a  result  of  the  exercise.  If  there  is  a 
marked  increase  it  is  an  unfavorable  sign.  After 
running  for  the  fifteen  seconds  the  boy  stands  at 
ease  for  forty-five  seconds,  when  the  pulse  is  taken 
and  recorded  for  the  third  time.  If  the  heart  is 
in  good  condition  the  rate  will  come  back  to  nor- 
mal or  close  to  the  starting  rate  after  this  short 
period  of  rest.     It  may  drop  below  normal.     If 


ISO  BASKET   BALL 

the  rate  stays  high  it  means  poor  power  of  re- 
cuperation. If  the  standing  pulse  rate  while  the 
individual  is  resting  is  high,  if  there  is  a  marked 
increase  after  exercise,  or  if  the  rate  fails  to  come 
down  after  the  forty-five  seconds  of  rest,  the 
player  should  not  be  allowed  to  play  until  the  re- 
sults have  been  checked  up  by  a  physician. 

General  Considerations 

In  training  a  team  for  any  form  of  athletics  the 
coach  is  interested  in  the  measures  which  have  to 
do  with  the  general  all-around  condition  of  the 
players  as  well  as  the  special  procedures  which 
are  followed  in  order  to  prepare  the  men  for  some 
particular  sport  or  event.  The  former  is  of  special 
interest  in  basket  ball  because  of  the  physical  en- 
durance required  by  the  game.  We  shall  first 
discuss  some  of  the  more  important  aspects  of 
personal  or  individual  hygiene  that  are  necessary 
not  only  to  put  the  men  in  the  best  physical  con- 
dition but  also  essential  in  keeping  them  where 
they  can  be  of  greatest  service  to  the  team. 

Before  much  can  be  accomplished  in  the  way 
of  training  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  live  spirit  of 
enthusiasm  toward  the  team  and  the  school  or 
organization  which  the  players  represent.  This 
can  come  only  from  a  love  for  the  sport  and  a  de- 
sire on  the  part  of  the  athlete  to  give  his  best 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  151 

efforts  to  the  team.  The  coach  should  try  to  de- 
velop such  a  spirit  among  the  men  that  they  will 
want  to  train  and  enjoy  doing  the  things  that  are 
best  for  all  concerned.  The  most  successful 
coaches  are  those  who  are  able  to  have  their  teams 
go  about  their  work  in  a  businesslike  way,  and  as 
a  rule  the  most  valuable  athletes  take  the  game 
more  or  less  seriously.  "As  a  man  thinketh  in 
his  heart,  so  is  he." 

The  question  of  exercise,  which  is  one  of  the 
most  important  requisites  of  good  health,  will  be 
taken  up  later  under  special  considerations  of 
training. 

Sleep 

Sleep  is  of  prime  importance  to  any  athlete. 
The  growing  boy  needs  more  than  the  mature 
man,  and  the  latter  should  have  at  least  eight 
hours  a  day.  "It  winds  up  the  physical  clock." 
During  the  day  the  processes  that  tear  down  the 
body  are  greater  than  the  ones  that  build  it  up, 
and  as  a  result  there  is  a  loss  in  the  available  food- 
supply  and  an  accumulation  of  fatigue  products. 
While  sleeping,  this  process  is  just  reversed.  The 
loss  in  energy  and  tissue  is  made  up,  the  kidneys 
and  other  organs  of  elimination  are  able  to  re- 
move the  accumulated  waste  material,  and  the 
organism  is  put  in  condition  for  the  next  day's 


152  BASKET   BALL 

work.  Some  people  seem  able  to  get  along  with 
less  sleep  than  others,  and  there  are  those  who  are 
not,  as  far  as  we  can  tell,  affected  very  much  by 
having  their  sleep  cut  short  a  few  hours  for  one 
or  two  nights.  There  is  a  great  difference  some- 
times, however,  between  what  seems  to  be  and 
what  really  is  true.  Moreover,  we  should  follow 
the  rule  that  fits  the  average  rather  than  the  ex- 
ceptional case.  The  loss  of  sleep  for  a  single  night 
means  a  lessened  efficiency,  and  in  some  cases  this 
is  very  marked.  When  continued  over  any  very 
great  length  of  time  there  is  a  gradual  expenditure 
of  the  body's  reserve  power  and  accumulation  of 
toxins  over  and  above  that  of  the  day  before. 
Such  a  process  in  the  athlete  shows  itself  in  lack 
of  enthusiasm  for  the  game  and  inefficient  as  well 
as  indifferent  playing.  There  may  be  loss  of 
weight,  the  face  loses  its  natural  color,  and  the 
bright  look  of  the  eyes  is  replaced  by  a  dull, 
sleepy  appearance.  These  conditions  are  com- 
monly seen  in  players  who  during  the  basket-ball 
season  spend  several  ni^^hts  a  week  on  the  dance 
floor  or  some  other  place  of  amusement.  Meeting 
numerous  social  oblij!;ations  and  playing  a  good 
game  of  basket  ball  are  incompatible  and  cannot 
go  together.  To  get  the  greatest  value  from  sleep 
it  should  be  regular  and  undisturbed.  One  should 
develop  the  habit  of  going  to  bed   at  a  certain 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  153 

hour  and  getting  up  at  a  fixed  time.  In  most 
cases,  if  this  rule  is  followed,  the  person  will  be 
able  to  go  to  sleep  immediately  upon  going  to 
bed  and  sleep  through  until  morning.  If  possi- 
ble he  should  sleep  in  a  very  quiet  place.  Even 
though  a  noise  may  not  be  sufficient  to  awaken 
the  sleeper,  he  will  unconsciously  be  stimulated 
and  affected  by  it.  One  feels  more  refreshed  if 
he  sleeps  out-of-doors.  Even  though  all  the  win- 
dows are  open  and  there  is  good  ventilation,  as 
should  always  be  the  case  when  compelled  to  sleep 
in  a  room,  that  same  restful  feeling  is  not  experi- 
enced that  exists  when  sleeping  out-of-doors. 

Ventilation 

Modern  conditions  of  life  make  it  necessary  for 
us  to  spend  much  of  our  life  indoors,  a  fact  which 
explains  a  good  deal  of  our  ill  health  and  disease. 
This  handicap  to  health  can  be  lessened  consider- 
ably, however,  by  giving  our  attention  to  some  of 
the  factors  which  are  entirely  within  our  control. 
The  discomfort  which  one  experiences  as  a  result 
of  breathing  "bad  air"  results  from  too  high  tem- 
perature, too  much  moisture  or  too  Httle,  and  a 
lack  of  motion  in  the  air — physical  conditions 
v/hich  can  be  modified  and  changed  by  proper 
ventilation.  The  temperature  should  be  about 
68  degrees  Fahrenheit.     It  should  not  be  above 


154  BASKET  BALL 

that.  Heat  is  depressing.  The  same  is  true  of 
air  that  is  too  humid,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  too 
dry.  There  should  always  be  some  movement  of 
the  air.  The  temperature  in  a  gj-mnasium  where 
basket  ball  is  being  played  should  not  be  any 
higher  than  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  spectators.  The  men  will  play  a  better 
game  if  it  is  not  too  hot.  Smoking  during  the 
game  should  be  absolutely  forbidden. 

Mental  Conditions 

There  is  a  very  definite  relation  between  whole- 
some mental  states  and  efficiency.  If  we  are  op- 
timists and  in  a  pleasant  state  of  mind  we  are  able 
to  do  more  and  better  work  than  when  we  are 
downhearted  and  looking  on  the  dark  side  of 
things.  Worry  not  only  lowers  our  efficiency  but 
it  may  even  cause  ill  health.  "It  is  not  work 
that  kills  a  man.  It  is  worry."  The  coach  should 
prevent,  if  possible,  any  cause  for  worry  among  the 
players.  It  will  cause  them  to  fall  off  in  their 
playing  more  than  anything  else.  There  are 
many  things  that  athletes  worry  about.  They 
worry  over  their  studies,  examinations,  over  mak- 
ing the  team,  over  some  particular  game,  and 
many  other  things  connected  with  the  sport.  It  is 
a  common  testimony  of  coaches  that  their  teams 
lost  because  the  men  were  afraid  of  being  beaten, 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  155 

and  consequently  did  not  play  their  best  game. 
Worry  lowers  the  morale,  confidence  raises  it; 
worry  lessens  efficiency,  confidence  increases  it. 
There  is  such  a  thing  as  being  too  confident,  how- 
ever. When  players  or  teams  become  overconfi- 
dent and  grow  careless,  the  condition  is  nearly  as 
bad  as  when  they  are  worried.  There  is  a  great 
deal  in  the  psychology  of  basket  ball  and  it  should 
be  given  considerable  attention.  For  the  team  to 
take  the  proper  mental  attitude  toward  the  game 
it  must  be  in  a  happy  and  contented  state  of  mind. 
The  coach  and  management  can  do  much  to  bring 
this  about  by  carefully  attending  to  the  needs  of 
the  players,  seeing  that  they  have  good  equipment, 
having  interesting  practices,  arranging  satisfac- 
tory schedules,  giving  the  men  a  good  time  on 
their  trips,  properly  advertising  the  games,  and 
doing  everything  that  is  practical  to  make  it 
worth  while  for  the  players  to  make  any  necessary 
sacrifice  and  to  give  their  best  to  the  team. 

Diet 

Aside  from  exercise  the  question  that  has  re- 
ceived most  attention  in  training  for  athletic 
sports  has  been  the  diet  of  the  players.  While  it 
is  true  that  diet  is  a  very  important  factor,  yet 
it  must  be  admitted  that  there  have  been  numer- 
ous fallacies  and  many  absurd  and  foolish  ideas 


156  BASKET   BALL 

held  regarding  it.  The  same  principles  that  should 
govern  the  selection  and  eating  of  food  for  the 
average  normal  person  should  guide  the  basket- 
ball player  in  matters  relating  to  diet.  It  is  for- 
tunate for  most  teams  that  this  is  so,  as  circum- 
stances often  demand  that  the  players  eat  the 
same  kind  of  food  as  the  other  members  of  the 
family  where  they  happen  to  be  living  or  board- 
ing. While  experience  has  shown  that  trainin:; 
tables  are  unnecessary  to  get  best  results,  yet  it 
is  essential  that  we  understand  and  observe  cer- 
tain fundamental  rules  regarding  food  and  diges- 
tion. 

In  order  for  the  body  to  function  normally  it 
is  necessary  that  it  be  furnished  with  food  of  the 
proper  kind  and  amount.  We  shall  first  take  up 
the  qualitative  requirements,  then  discuss  the 
amount  of  food  that  we  need,  and  conclude  by 
mentioning  a  few  factors  other  than  diet  that 
have  to  do  with  digestion. 

Food  functions  in  the  body  by  supplying  energy 
and  heat,  by  building  and  repairing  tissues,  and 
by  stimulating  and  making  possible  the  various 
processes  and  activities  of  the  body.  Energy  and 
heat  are  furnished  by  the  carbohydrates  and  fats. 
Carboh3'drates  include  starches,  sugars,  and  gums, 
and  form  the  principal  element  in  vegetables. 
Fats  have  their  main  source  in  butter,  cream,  oil, 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  157 

nuts,  and  some  meats.  Protein  is  used  to  build 
up  new  tissues  and  repair  old  ones.  Certain  in- 
organic substances  also  aid  in  this  work.  Prac- 
tically all  foods  contain  some  protein,  but  it  is 
found  chieRy  in  lean  meats,  eggs,  milk  and  cheese, 
nuts,  peas,  beans  and  lentils.  Water,  certain 
mineral  salts  and  vitamins,  or  "protective  sub- 
stances," are  also  necessary  to  keep  the  body 
functioning  properly. 

There  should  be  a  certain  variety  of  food  not 
only  for  each  meal  but  also  for  each  day  and 
week.  There  are  many  good  foods  which  we 
grow  tired  of  if  they  are  served  too  often.  A 
variety  of  food  keeps  the  appetite  keen,  and  a 
f?;ood  appetite  is  a  great  blessing  and  an  aid  to 
digestion. 

The  diet  of  the  athlete  should  contain  but  few, 
if  any,  of  the  accessory  articles  of  diet,  such  as 
flavors,  stimulants,  and  the  like.  While  these 
things  are  used  they  are  not  necessary,  and  may 
be  even  harmful  to  the  health.  Spices  and  condi- 
ments, such  as  pepper,  catsup,  and  mustard  may 
appeal  to  the  sense  of  taste  and  smell,  but  they 
act  as  a  local  salivary  and  gastric  stimulant. 
They  may  do  harm  by  destroying  the  taste  for 
simple  and  wholesome  foods  and  by  irritating 
the  gastrointestinal  tract.  Other  things  that 
should   be   excluded   from   the   player's   diet   are 


158  BASKET  BALL 

fried  foods,  highly  seasoned  dishes,  pastries,  or 
anything  else  that  he  has  learned  by  experience 
does  not  agree  with  him.  Appetites  differ,  and 
our  ability  to  digest  food  is  not  always  the  same. 
Some  people  have  idiosyncrasies  toward  certain 
foods.  They  cannot  eat  a  particular  article  of 
diet,  although  it  may  be  easily  digested  by  the 
average  person.  Experience  should  play  a  large 
part  in  the  choice  of  food;  it  should  not  be  the 
only  thing  considered,  however,  as  there  are  some 
who  enjoy  good  digestion  in  spite  of  what  they 
eat  rather  than  on  account  of  it.  There  is  a  com- 
mon fallacy  that  it  is  harmful  to  mix  or  eat  cer- 
tain foods  at  the  same  meal  that  some  other  par- 
ticular food  is  eaten.  For  instance,  to  drink  milk 
with  cherries  is  thought  to  cause  indigestion. 
There  is  probably  very  little  danger  from  such 
procedure,  especially  if  all  of  the  foods  are  good. 
Simply  putting  them  together  will  not  cause  any 
grave  disaster.  Another  mistaken  idea  commonly 
found  among  athletes  is  that  milk  should  be  used 
very  sparingly.  Milk  is  one  of  the  best  and  most 
valuable  foods  for  the  average  person  that  we 
have,  and  simply  being  an  athlete  does  not  mean 
that  a  man  becomes  different  from  other  people 
in  this  respect.  The  claims  that  milk  "cuts  the 
wind,"  "causes  constipation,"  and  "makes  one 
sleepy"  are  fallacious.     It  is  understood,  of  course. 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  159 

that  the  rest  of  the  diet  should  be  well  propor- 
tioned in  regard  to  its  quality  and  amount.  The 
high  food  value  of  milk  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  is 
easily  digested,  its  constituents  are  well  propor- 
tioned, and  it  contains  valuable  growth-promoting 
substances. 

There  has  been  a  great  deal  said  about  the  use 
of  tea  and  coffee.  "These  are  substances  that 
are  usually  employed  as  makeshifts  in  an  effort 
to  cheat  nature."  "Coffee  is  essentially  a  drug 
and  in  itself  has  no  nourishing  principle/'  It 
does  put  work  upon  the  body  in  order  to  throw  it 
off,  but  gives  nothing  in  return.  Tea  and  coffee 
hinder  the  action  of  the  saliva,  and  if  taken  in 
excess  may  impede  digestion.  Their  action  is 
due  to  caffeine  and  tannic  acid.  The  most  im- 
portant action  of  caffeine  is  upon  the  nervous 
system,  where  it  acts  as  a  stimulant.  If  these 
drugs  are  taken  in  moderation  by  a  healthy  per- 
son they  may  not  do  any  harm,  but  the  athlete 
should  not  need  the  stimulation  which  results 
from  their  use.  If  he  indulges  at  all  it  should 
be  very  moderately.  We  recommend  milk  as  a 
substitute.  The  only  value  that  coffee  has  as  a 
food  is  that  it  serves  for  a  vehicle  for  milk  and 
sugar. 

Now  that  this  country  is  enjoying  the  great 
blessing  of  national  prohibition  the  question  of 


i6o  BASKET  BALL 

alcohol  is  not  so  important  as  (orn\er\y.  Alcohol 
is  not  a  stimulant.  It  is  a  narcotic  and  has  a 
detrimental  effect  upon  all  the  activities  of  the 
body. 

By  experience  and  experiment  we  have  learned 
that  the  body  gets  along  best  if  it  has  so  much 
food  and  no  more.  When  carbohydrates  and 
fats  are  taken  in  quantities  greater  than  we  need, 
the  excess  amount  is  stored  in  the  body  as  fat. 
It  furnishes  so  much  weight  for  us  to  carry  around. 
The  excess  protein  is  not  stored  but  is  thrown  off 
as  waste.  This  means  extra  work  for  the  excre- 
tory organs.  The  end  products  of  the  carbohy- 
drates and  fats  are  very  simple  and  easily  elimi- 
nated, but  with  protein  they  are  very  complex 
and  are  gotten  rid  of  with  difficulty.  Their 
elimination  sometimes  causes  injury  to  the  kid- 
neys and  other  organs. 

The  ordinary  college  athlete  needs  between 
three  and  four  thousand  calories  per  day.  Carbo- 
hydrates furnish  fuel  for  energy,  and  the  harder 
the  work  the  more  is  needed.  They  should  furnish 
between  sixty  and  seventy  per  cent  of  the  total 
heat  units.  The  amount  furnished  by  fats  should 
be  moderate,  about  twentj'-five  per  cent,  and  these 
should  come  mosth^  from  butter-fat  as  found  in 
butter,  milk,  and  cheese.  From  ten  to  fifteen 
per  cent  should  come  from  protein. 


FIG.  18.     PUT   OR    PI^ACKD    SHOT.— PACK  31. 
Coming  in  from  Front. 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  i6i 

At  the  present  time  most  of  the  leading  authori- 
ties on  this  subject  favor  a  low  protein  diet. 
Most  people,  including  athletes,  eat  too  much 
meat.  As  stated  above,  this  food  is  one  of  the 
chief  sources  of  protein.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
have  meat  two  or  three  times  a  day.  Once  a  day 
is  sufficient.  It  may  be  that  it  would  be  better 
if  meat  were  served  but  four  or  five  times  a  week. 
It  used  to  be  thought  that  it  was  meat  that  gave 
strength  to  the  body,  but  quite  the  contrary  has 
been  shown  to  be  true.  Fisher  and  Fisk,  in  their 
book  ^^  How  to  Live^"'  in  speaking  of  experiments 
made  to  determine  this  question,  say:  "The  re- 
sults would  indicate  that  the  users  of  the  low 
protein  and  non-flesh  dietaries  have  far  greater 
endurance  than  those  who  are  accustomed  to  the 
ordinary  American  diet."  We  cannot  conclude 
from  our  present  knowledge  in  food  matters  that 
the  athlete  needs  no  meat,  but  we  can  be  reason- 
ably sure  of  getting  better  results  from  a  low 
protein  diet  than  when  excessive  amounts  are 
eaten. 

It  is  a  common  practice  among  athletes  to  over- 
eat. Gluttony  may  easily  become  a  vice  of  the 
basket-ball  player  as  well  as  of  the  idle  and  lazy. 
"Overeating  is  about  as  common  as  eating." 
Three  fairly  good-sized  meals  a  day  is  all  a  player 
needs.     Efficiency  and  pleasure  in  eating  as  well 


1 62  BASKET  BALL 

as  in  anything  else  lies  in  moderation  and  not  in 
excess. 

Carbohydrates  when  eaten  in  excess  cause 
fermentation,  indigestion,  and  constipation. 
Fruits,  besides  being  splendid  food,  are  also 
good  for  this  condition.  Every  one  should  drink 
plenty  of  water.  Many  athletes  do  not  drink 
enough,  especially  between  meals.  A  glass  or 
two  during  meals  will  do  no  harm.  It  does  not 
unduly  dilute  the  digestive  juices,  as  is  sometimes 
thought,  but  rather  is  an  aid  to  digestion.  It 
should  not  be  used  to  wash  the  food  down.  The 
athlete  needs  from  five  to  ten  glasses  a  day. 
Ice-water  should  be  avoided,  although  cooled 
water  may  be  drunk  with  safety.  It  is  not  a 
good  thing  to  eat  any  food  that  is  very  hot  or 
very  cold. 

Regularity  is  one  of  the  most  important  rules 
of  training.  The  athlete's  meals,  as  well  as  his 
sleep  and  exercise,  should  be  regular.  The  habit 
of  eating  between  meals  is  bad.  It  causes  over- 
eating and  often  leads  to  impaired  digestion. 
Some  players  have  a  desire  to  eat  something  be- 
fore going  to  bed.  If  the  food  is  simple  and  not 
excessive  in  amount,  it  will  probably  do  no  harm 
providing  there  is  a  need  for  the  same,  but  it 
should  not  become  a  habit.  A  man  sleeps  and 
rests  better  if  the  stomach  is  empty  when  he  goes 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  163 

to  bed.  Plenty  of  time  should  be  taken  to  eat, 
as  the  evils  of  "bolting"  food  are  many.  Meals 
are  enjoyed  more  when  eaten  slowly.  Moreover, 
when  the  food  is  not  chewed  and  masticated  thor- 
oughly one  is  apt  to  eat  more,  digestion  is  not  so 
complete,  and  there  is  a  failure  to  get  the  greatest 
possible  benefit  from  the  food.  Food  should  be 
chewed  until  it  is  thoroughly  mixed  with  the  sa- 
liva and  swallowing  takes  place  without  thinking 
about  it. 

Heavy  meals  should  come  when  they  can  be 
followed  by  physical  and  mental  composure. 
For  the  ordinary  student,  breakfast  should  be 
moderate,  lunch  light,  and  dinner  the  big  meal 
of  the  day.  The  meals  would  be  something  as 
follows:  for  breakfast,  fruit,  cereal,  eggs  or  meat 
or  potatoes,  toast  or  bread,  and  milk;  for  lunch, 
eggs,  potatoes  or  another  vegetable,  bread,  cooked 
fruit,  and  milk;  for  dinner,  soup,  meat,  potatoes, 
a  couple  of  green  vegetables  or  salad,  light  dessert, 
and  milk  or  tea.  Whether  or  not  the  athlete  can 
follow  the  above  plan  depends  upon  the  time  of 
day  the  game  or  practice  is  held.  The  meal  im- 
mediately preceding  or  following  a  hard  work-out 
should  always  be  light.  It  is  never  good  to  eat 
a  big  meal  when  one  is  very  tired.  Excessive  per- 
spiration impedes  the  secretion  of  the  gastric 
juice,  and  the  fatigue  products  resulting  from  the 


1 64  BASKET   BALL 

exercise  have  a  depressing  effect  upon  the  mind 
and  cause  impaired  digestion.  The  nutrition  is 
affected  by  mental  and  moral  states  or  by  any 
kind  of  nervous  irritation.  A  contented  mind 
and  joyous  nature  go  with  a  good  digestion,  while 
remorse,  discontent,  and  so  on  are  apt  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  poor  digestion. 

Many  players  are  affected  by  nervousness  just 
before  a  game  and  suffer  from  impaired  digestion 
as  a  result.  To  prevent  this  condition  an  effort 
should  be  made  to  keep  them  as  optimistic  as 
possible  and  their  minds  on  something  other 
than  the  game.  The  coaching  should  be  done 
some  time  before  the  day  of  the  game.  The  same 
principle  holds  true  in  regard  to  diet.  The  men 
should  have  taken  such  care  of  themselves  and 
should  be  in  such  good  condition  that  nothing 
more  than  the  ordinary  precaution  regarding  diet 
will  be  necessary.  Breakfast  should  be  about 
the  same  as  usual,  consisting  of  fruit,  cereal,  meat 
or  eggs,  bread  or  toast,  and  milk.  If  this  is  not 
sufficient  a  baked  potato  may  be  added.  With 
some  it  would  be  better  to  omit  the  meat  or  eggs. 
If  the  game  is  in  the  afternoon  it  is  best  to  have 
a  light  lunch.  Soup,  eggs,  bread,  and  tea  or  milk 
is  sufficient.  If  the  contest  is  not  until  the 
evening,  lunch  should  be  hea\ier  than  usual  and 
consist  of  eggs  or  a  small  portion  of  meat,  one  or 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  165 

two  vegetables,  including  potatoes,  bread,  milk, 
and  a  light  dessert.     Supper  should  be  light. 

Most  ill  health  and  disease  are  caused  by  toxic 
substances  which  are  formed  either  within  the 
body  or  are  taken  in  the  form  of  drugs.  It  is 
necessary,  therefore,  in  order  that  man  be  able 
to  enjoy  good  health,  that  there  be  a  regular  and 
orderly  elimination  of  the  waste  products,  and 
also  the  prevention  as  far  as  possible  of  the 
entrance  of  any  toxic  substances  from  the  out- 
side. 

The  work  of  removing  the  poisonous  material 
from  the  body  is  done  by  the  lungs,  kidneys,  skin, 
and  intestines.  The  amount  of  water  needed  each 
day  has  been  mentioned.  The  kidneys  are  exceed- 
ingly important  organs  of  elimination,  and  their 
proper  functioning  is  dependent  upon  a  good  sup- 
ply of  water. 

Much  of  the  waste  material  of  the  body  is 
thrown  off"  by  the  intestines.  This  removal  should 
be  prompt  and  regular.  Any  delay  in  the  action 
of  the  bowels  is  accompanied  by  the  formation  of 
toxic  substances  which  are  absorbed  into  the  body, 
causing  headache  and  other  symptoms  of  ill 
health.  Sometimes  the  results  of  this  condition 
are  very  serious.  The  most  efficient  treatment 
of  constipation  consists  of  removing  and  adjust- 
ing the  causative  factors.     Of  very  great  impor- 


1 66  BASKET   BALL 

tance  is  the  matter  of  establishing  a  regular  habit 
of  having  the  bowels  move  at  a  certain  time  every 
day.  A  common  cause  of  constipation  is  a  lack 
of  the  proper  kind  and  amount  of  physical  exer- 
cise, resulting  in  bad  posture,  a  lowered  muscular 
tone,  and  a  poor  general  resistance.  While  this 
may  not  be  of  great  interest  to  the  athlete  who 
indulges  in  strenuous  physical  activity,  yet  it 
should  be  mentioned  in  passing  on  account  of  its 
special  significance  to  the  average  person.  The 
exercises  that  are  of  greatest  value  in  stimulating 
the  action  of  the  bowels  are  those  that  bring  into 
play  the  muscles  of  the  trunk  and  especially  those 
of  the  abdomen. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  measure  in  pre- 
venting constipation  is  the  proper  regulation  of 
one's  diet.  In  most  cases  the  condition  can  be 
avoided  by  eating  foods  that  have  either  consid- 
erable bulk  or  some  special  laxative  action.  Some 
of  the  laxative  foods  are  oranges,  apples,  prunes, 
peaches,  figs,  celery,  string-beans,  asparagus, 
spinach,  rhubarb,  onions,  green  peas,  corn,  baked 
potatoes  (with  skins),  lettuce,  tomatoes,  honey, 
molasses,  rolled  oats,  other  whole  cereals,  and 
bread  made  from  whole  wheat  or  graham  flour. 
Oils  and  fats  are  also  laxative.  The  following 
are  constipating:  rice,  dried  beans,  cornstarch, 
custard  puddings,  boiled  milk,  salted  and  dried 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  167 

meats,  cheese,  tea,  coffee,  and  bread  made  from 
fine  flour.  Water  aids  greatly  in  stimulating  and 
promoting  the  action  of  the  intestines.  It  works 
best  if  taken  when  the  stomach  is  empty.  This 
is  especially  true  in  the  morning  before  breakfast. 
Such  things  as  agar-agar  and  mineral  oil  are  of 
value,  but  they  should  be  used  only  temporarily 
and  not  be  depended  upon  to  take  the  place  of 
the  wholesome  measures  mentioned  above.  Most 
cases  of  constipation  will  clear  up  if  sufficient 
attention  is  given  to  the  diet,  exercise,  and  habit. 
These  are  the  correctives  that  should  be  tried 
first.  If  they  fail,  try  medicine;  but  the  common 
practice  of  always  depending  upon  relief  found  in 
a  drug  store  is  a  great  mistake.  Drugs  should  be 
the  last  resort  and  not  the  first. 

Bathing  and  the  Care  of  the  Skin 

The  skin  is  a  very  highly  developed  and  sensi- 
tive organ  and  functions  in  many  ways  in  helping 
maintain  the  health  of  the  body.  It  protects  the 
underlying  tissues  from  the  heat,  cold,  injuries 
of  various  kinds,  and  invasion  of  parasites.  One 
of  its  most  important  functions  is  to  help  regu- 
late and  maintain  a  constant  temperature  inside 
the  body.  It  also  acts  as  an  organ  of  sensation, 
receiving  the  external  stimuli  of  heat,  cold,  and 
pressure.     The  skin  is  an  organ  of  excretion,  al- 


1 68  BASKET   BALL 

though  its  importance  as  such  is  not  considered 
very  great.  It  also  acts  as  a  support  for  the  hairs 
and  nails,  which  are  modifications  of  the  skin. 
As  an  organ  of  absorption  the  skin  has  very  little 
significance  as,  aside  from  the  sweat-glands,  it  is 
practically  water-proof.  This  is  due  to  tiie  skin 
being  covered  by  the  oily  secretion  from  the  seba- 
ceous glands.  Very  little,  if  any,  of  the  numerous; 
preparations  used  by  athletes  and  others  to  rub 
on  the  skin  is  absorbed  into  the  body.  Many  of 
these  things  have  no  value  aside  from  the  lubri- 
cating effect  in  promoting  massage. 

Whether  or  not  the  skin  stays  healthy  and  well 
and  in  good  condition  depends  in  a  large  measure 
upon  the  general  condition  of  the  body.  The  skin 
is  often  an  indicator  of  our  general  health.  It 
gives  us  a  good  idea  of  how  the  other  organs  are 
functioning.  If  there  is  injury  or  disorder  in  some 
other  part,  such  as  the  digestive  tract,  it  may  be 
very  quickly  reflected  in  the  skin.  The  first  mani- 
festations of  overeating,  too  free  indulgence  of 
meats,  fried  foods,  pastries,  and  other  errors  in 
diet,  often  first  appear  in  the  skin.  The  condition 
of  this  important  organ  is  dependent  in  a  large 
measure  upon  exercise,  diet,  sleep,  and  other 
general  hygienic  measures  that  wc  employ.  That 
explains  the  unsatisfactory  results  that  we  so 
often  get  from  the  local  application  of  the  various 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  169 

skin    remedies.      Another    reason    is    the   worth- 
lessness  of  most  of  these  preparations. 

CleanHness  is  of  prime  importance  in  the  care 
of  the  skin.  This  is  accompHshed  by  the  warm 
bath  with  the  aid  of  soap.  Everybody  should 
take  a  bath  at  least  once  a  day.  The  cleansing 
bath  for  the  athlete  should  come  after  exercise. 
The  oblique  shower-bath  is  the  most  satisfactory 
and  beneficial,  as  it  is  not  only  efficient  in  cleans- 
ing the  skin  but,  in  addition,  has  a  valuable  stimu- 
lating effect.  Only  a  few  minutes  in  the  warm 
bath  are  necessary  to  get  the  desired  results.  It 
may  even  be  harmful  to  stay  in  too  long.  A  warm 
bath  dilates  the  blood-vessels  of  the  skin,  lowers 
the  blood  pressure,  and  has  a  soothing  effect  upon 
the  nervous  system.  It  frequently  induces  sleep 
if  taken  directly  before  going  to  bed.  Cleansing 
the  skin  not  only  keeps  the  pores  open  so  that  the 
skin  may  function  as  an  excretory  organ,  but  it 
also  prevents  the  clogging  and  infection  of  these 
openings.  The  athlete,  as  well  as  any  one  else 
who  is  going  out  of  doors  afterward,  should  always 
follow  the  warm  bath  with  a  cold  shower.  This 
helps  to  prevent  catching  cold.  For  the  same 
reason  he  should  dress  warmly  and  avoid  sitting 
in  a  draft  after  the  bath.  Better  results  are  al- 
ways evident  if  the  bath  has  been  preceded  by 
exercise. 


I/O  BASKET   BALL 

Training  the  skin  is  also  an  important  procedure. 
The  skin  can  be  trained  the  same  as  any  other 
part  of  the  body.  The  cold  bath  is  a  real  stimulant 
and  aids  materially  in  this  process.  It  contracts 
the  blood-vessels,  slows  and  deepens  respiration, 
and  stimulates  the  nervous  system.  Not  every 
one  should  indulge  in  cold  baths,  as  there  are  many 
people  who  cannot  stand  the  shock.  Most  ath- 
letes, however,  will  not  only  be  able  to  take  the 
cold  shower  but  will  be  greatly  aided  by  it. 
Whether  or  not  one  is  able  to  take  this  kind  of  a 
bath  depends  upon  the  reaction  he  gets.  The 
signs  of  a  favorable  reaction  are  a  return  of  the 
blood  to  the  surface  of  the  body,  a  feeling  of 
warmth,  and  a  sense  of  well-being  and  exhilara- 
tion. If  the  body  responds  poorly  a  person  feels 
cold,  weak,  and  perhaps  has  a  headache.  How 
cold  the  water  should  be  depends,  then,  upon  the 
individual.  The  best  time  to  take  a  cold  bath  is 
upon  getting  up  in  the  morning;  it  should  always 
follow  a  warm  bath  when  one  is  going  out  into  the 
cold.  A  vigorous  rub-down  should  complete  the 
bath.  Aside  from  drying  the  body  the  rub-down 
is  of  value  in  giving  a  certain  amount  of  exercise 
and  stimulating  the  circulation.  For  those  who 
can  take  it,  the  cold  bath  is  a  real  tonic  and  one 
of  the  best  preventatives  of  cold  and  producers  of 
health  that  we  have.     Another  valuable  hygienic 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  171 

measure  for  those  who  arc  strong  enough  to  do  it, 
without  being  chilled^  is  the  air  bath,  or  exposing 
the  body  to  the  air  and  light  for  a  few  minutes 
each  day. 

Clothing  is  another  factor  to  be  considered  in 
training  the  skin.  Just  enough  clothing  should 
be  worn  to  keep  the  body  warm.  We  err  more 
often  in  wearing  too  much  clothing  in  the  winter- 
time than  in  summer.  Too  heavy,  thick  clothing 
should  not  be  worn  indoors  in  winter  as  it  causes 
the  body  to  become  overheated  and  to  perspire, 
a  condition  which  renders  a  person  liable  to  a 
chill  when  he  goes  out  of  doors.  It  is  better  to 
wear  the  heavier  and  warmer  clothes  outdoors. 
Underclothes  made  of  cotton  or  a  mixture  of 
cotton  and  wool  are  better  than  all  wool,  as  wool 
absorbs  and  retains  the  moisture,  preventing  the 
normal  action  of  the  skin.  In  order  to  keep  the 
skin  clean  it  is  necessary  to  change  the  under- 
clothing often.  While  it  is  desirable  not  to  shut 
the  air  out  from  the  skin  by  wearing  too  much 
clothing,  a  word  of  caution  should  he  said  to  those 
who  sometimes  go  to  the  other  extreme.  We  often 
run  across  people  who  pride  themselves  on  being 
able  to  go  through  the  winter  wearing  their  sum- 
mer underwear  and  without  using  an  overcoat. 
This  is  an  unwise  and  foolish  custom.  It  may  be 
that   certain   individuals  with   a   high   resistance 


172  BASKET  BALL 

and  well-trained  skins  can  do  this  and  suffer  no 
apparent  ill  effects.  They  stay  well  in  most  cases, 
however,  in  spite  of  the  procedure  rather  than  on 
account  of  it.  In  cold  weather,  when  we  are  not 
sufficiently  clothed,  there  is  a  great  loss  of  heat 
and  a  severe  drain  upon  the  body's  reserve  power 
and  strength. 

The  question  is  often  asked  why  so  many  ath- 
letes lose  their  hair  prematurely.  The  two  most 
common  causes  of  baldness  are  dandruff  and  a 
poor  circulation,  and  anything  which  will  prevent 
these  will  be  valuable  in  preserving  the  hair. 
The  best  treatment  in  preventing  dandruff  is 
keeping  the  scalp  clean.  This  can  be  done  by 
shampooing  the  head  and  perhaps  using  some  kind 
of  an  antiseptic  solution.  The  shampoo  not  only 
cleans  the  scalp  but  also  stimulates  the  circula- 
tion. How  often  we  should  use  this  measure 
depends  upon  how  often  there  is  need  for  it. 
Athletes  naturally  get  their  heads  very  dirty,  and, 
while  they  usually  bathe  after  exercise  and  get 
their  heads  wet  while  in  the  shower,  they  often 
do  not  cleanse  their  hair  and  scalp  thoroughly. 
This  may  explain  their  loss  of  hair.  Certainly  it 
is  not  caused  by  wetting  their  hair  every  day. 
The  simple  appHcation  of  water  does  not  cause 
baldness.  The  circulation  of  the  scalp  is  aided 
by    massage,    brushing,    and    combing    the    hair. 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  173 

It  is  impeded  by  wearing  hats  that  fit  the  head  too 
tightly.  There  are  many  remedies  widely  adver- 
tised and  used  for  preventing  the  loss  of  hair. 
Most  of  them  are  useless  except  in  that  they  help 
do  the  two  important  things  mentioned  above, 
namely,  aid  the  circulation  or  cleanse  the  scalp. 
Measures  such  as  singeing,  that  affect  the  hair  it- 
self, are  worthless. 

Proper  cleansing  of  the  skin  will  prevent  various 
infections  which  are  often  the  source  of  considera- 
ble annoyance  to  athletes.  The  prevention  of 
acne,  "blackheads,"  and  pimples  consists  of 
keeping  the  skin  clear  and  the  pores  open.  In 
treating  and  removing  pimples,  care  should  be 
taken  lest  a  second  and  more  severe  infection  oc- 
cur. A  pimple  should  be  opened  by  a  sterile  in- 
strument, and,  after  the  removal  of  the  contents, 
washed  with  antiseptic  solution.  They  should 
not  be  squeezed  and  pinched  in  a  way  as  to  injure 
and  lower  the  resistance  of  the  part.  Many  boils 
and  severe  infections  start  in  this  way. 

Boils  are  circumscribed  areas  of  inflammation 
caused  by  pus-producing  organisms.  The  infec- 
tion usually  follows  a  scratch  or  injury  to  the  skin, 
although  at  times  they  seem  to  occur  without 
any  apparent  cause.  Although  boils  are,  in  most 
cases,  due  to  a  local  infection,  the  general  condi- 
tion or  resistance  of  the  body  has  a  good  deal  to 


174  BASKET   BALL 

do  not  only  with  their  occurrence  but  also  with 
their  cure.  Their  prevention  is  accomphshed  by 
keeping  the  body  clean  and  avoiding  scratches, 
abrasions,  or  injury  of  any  kind  to  the  skin.  The 
application  of  sterile  hot  compresses,  wet  with 
bichloride-of-mercury  solution,  i  to  5,000,  is 
recommended  for  softening  and  bringing  the 
boil  to  a  head.  The  application  should  be  made 
every  two  hours.  The  use  of  poultices  for  this 
purpose  is  to  be  condemned.  When  opening  a 
boil  it  should  be  incised  and  the  pus  or  "core" 
gently  removed.  The  body,  in  attempting  to 
limit  the  infection  to  a  small  area,  builds  a  wall 
around  the  process  and  the  common  practice  of 
squeezing  the  part  breaks  down  this  protective 
barrier  and  paves  the  way  for  a  more  extensive 
and  serious  infection.  Before  making  the  inci- 
sion it  is  advisable  to  clean  the  skin  with  some 
antiseptic  solution  such  as  alcohol  or  bichloride 
of  mercury.  Tincture  of  iodine  may  also  be  used. 
After  the  boil  is  opened,  care  should  be  taken  so  as 
to  prevent  transference  of  the  infection  to  some 
adjacent  part.  "Crops"  of  boils  often  result 
from  careless  handhng  and  dressing  of  these  open 
wounds.  After  opening  the  boil,  as  well  as  after 
every  dressing,  the  part  should  be  washed  with  an 
antiseptic  solution  and  covered  with  a  dry  sterile 
dressing. 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  175 

Blisters  on  the  feet  sometimes  give  athletes 
considerable  trouble.  Usually  they  can  be  pre- 
vented by  wearing  properly  fitting  shoes,  and 
socks  or  stockings  that  do  not  have  holes  in  them. 
Socks  should  not  only  be  kept  free  from  holes,  but 
should  also  be  washed  often.  While  the  basket- 
ball shoe  should  fit  the  foot  snugly,  it  should  not 
be  too  tight.  The  feet  should  be  carefully  washed 
and  dried  after  each  practice.  The  free  use  of 
talcum  powder  on  the  foot  and  in  the  shoe  also 
helps  prevent  foot  troubles.  In  treating  blisters 
it  is  best,  unless  the  blister  is  a  large  one,  not 
to  open  it  but  rather  protect  it  in  some  way. 
This  may  be  done  by  the  use  of  a  felt  pad,  gauze 
bandage,  or  a  piece  of  adhesive  plaster.  If  the 
blister  is  very  large  or  for  any  other  reason  it 
seems  desirable  to  open  it,  first  wash  the  foot 
thoroughly  and  then,  with  a  sterile  needle,  punc- 
ture the  blister  through  the  skin  at  the  side. 
After  the  fluid  is  removed  the  part  should  be  pro- 
tected from  infection  or  any  further  irritation. 
To  harden  and  toughen  the  feet  a  solution  of 
tannic  acid  (a  tablespoonful  of  acid  to  a  quart  of 
water)  or  alum  water  (a  teaspoonful  to  a  pint)  is 
recommended.  Corns  and  callosities  are  caused 
by  wearing  shoes  that  are  too  tight  or  permit 
friction.  For  the  soft  corns,  which  are  usually 
between  the  toes,  some  dusting  powder  like  aristol 


176  BASKET  BALL 

(thymol  iodide)  may  be  used.  Hard  corns  are 
frequently  treated  by  soaking  the  feet  in  hot 
water  and,  after  washing  them  thoroughly  in  some 
disinfecting  solution,  cutting  them  down  with 
a  sharp  knife.  Various  so-called  "corn  cures" 
are  also  used.  Although  it  is  a  common  practice, 
it  is  questionable  whether  such  conditions  should 
be  treated  by  the  patient  himself.  It  should  be 
pointed  out  that  it  is  not  uncommon  for  very 
serious,  and  sometimes  fatal,  consequences  to 
follow  even  slight  cuts  and  infections  of  the  foot. 

Basket-ball  players  should  keep  their  finger- 
nails cut  short,  cut  with  round  corners.  Bad 
scratches,  as  well  as  serious  injuries  to  the  eyes, 
sometimes  result  from  long  nails.  Toe-nails 
should  be  cut  straight  across.  Ingrown  toe-nails 
can  be  prevented  by  wearing  shoes  that  do  not 
fit  the  foot  too  tightly.  The  nails  do  not  grow  into 
the  skin,  the  skin  is  forced  and  squeezed  over  the 
nail. 

"Jockstrap  itch,"  known  scientifically  as  "tinea 
cruris,'*  is  an  infection  of  the  inner  sides  of  the 
thighs  and  scrotum,  and  is  due  to  a  spore-forming 
organism.  The  infection  usually  follows  the  wear- 
ing of  dirty  jock  supporters  and  from  unclean 
habits.  It  is  commonly  found  among  athletes. 
Sometimes  it  spreads  among  the  men  using  a 
gymnasium  and  is  very  hard  to  eradicate.      The 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  177 

best  treatment  for  the  condition  is  keeping  the 
part  clean,  applying  ammoniated  mercury  and 
preventing  irritation  of  any  kind.  The  ammoni- 
ated mercury  should  be  of  weak  strength.  It  is 
a  good  plan  to  use  it  only  at  night,  applying  tal- 
cum powder  during  the  day.  If  the  infection  is 
very  wide-spread  among  the  men  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  boil  all  their  clothing  before  the  condition 
will  clear  up. 

Aside  from  the  toxins  resulting  from  the  physio- 
logical processes  of  the  body,  there  are  frequently 
poisons  formed  from  pathogenic  germs  in  some 
localized  site.  Such  conditions  are  known  as 
focal  infections.  These  processes  are  a  constant 
menace  to  health,  as  either  the  bacteria  or  their 
toxins  may  be  carried  by  the  blood  or  lymph  to 
other  parts  of  the  body  and  cause  a  secondary 
infection.  It  is  believed  that  many  diseases  such 
as  rheumatism,  arthritis,  valvular  heart-disease, 
neuritis,  chorea,  Bright's  disease,  pernicious  anae- 
mia, and  others,  which  have  baffled  medical  men 
in  the  past,  are  now  explained  by  the  presence  of 
some  focal  process.  For  example,  it  is  very  com- 
mon to  find  rheumatism  following  tonsilitis,  or 
neuritis  caused  by  an  abscessed  tooth.  These 
focal  processes  also  cause  a  generally  lowered 
resistance.  There  are  many  evidences  that  oui 
conclusion  regarding  this  matter  is  true,  the  most 


178  BASKET   BALL 

conclusive  being  the  fact  that  when  the  local  in- 
fection is  removed,  the  patient  is  greatly  improved 
or  gets  entirely  well.  There  are  many  places  in 
the  body  where  these  focal  infections  are  found. 
The  most  common  sites  are  the  teeth,  gums, 
tonsils,  nose,  cavities  in  the  bones  of  the  head  and 
face,  gall-bladder,  appendix,  and  genito-urinary 
tract.  An  infection  anywhere  may  serve  as  a 
focal  process.  A  boil  or  an  infected  finger  may  be 
followed  by  either  a  general  or  secondary  infection. 
It  is  of  vital  importance  that  we  appreciate  the 
relation  between  focal  infections  and  disease.  It 
is  obvious  that  when  in  doubt  regarding  the  cause 
of  any  of  the  conditions  mentioned  above,  that 
a  thorough  search  should  be  made  for  a  probable 
localized  origin.  But  that  is  not  enough.  We 
should  be  interested  sufficiently  in  the  prevention 
of  disease  to  attend  to  such  matters  before  we 
get  sick  and  thus  avoid  a  possible  permanent 
injury  to  vital  organs  of  the  body.  Sometimes 
these  focal  processes  are  very  difficult  to  find 
and  it  may  mean  a  little  inconvenience  and  time 
to  do  it,  but  it  is  worth  the  trouble.  There  may 
be  no  definite  symptoms.  We  may  be  totally 
unaware  of  an  abscess  at  the  root  of  a  tooth 
until  the  X-ray  reveals  its  presence.  For  that 
reason  periodic  examinations  are  advisable. 
Many  people  have  formed  the  habit  of  going  to 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  179 

the  dentist  once  or  twice  a  year  to  have  their 
teeth  attended  to  and  the  rest  of  the  body  should 
receive  the  same  care  and  attention. 

Colds 

It  is  not  to  be  inferred  from  what  we  have  said 
that  focal  processes  are  the  cause  of  all  the  ill 
health  and  disease.  That  is  not  true.  Pathogenes 
may  get  into  the  body  through  any  of  the  many 
entrances  and  by  growing  and  multiplying  injure 
not  only  some  particular  tissue  or  organ  but 
cause  a  poisoning  and  lowered  resistance  of  the 
whole  body.  Prevention  of  disease  involves,  there- 
fore, not  only  the  elimination  of  suitable  sites  for 
the  growth  of  bacteria  but  the  prevention,  as  far 
as  possible,  of  their  entrance  into  the  body. 

Perhaps  the  most  common  infection  is  that 
causing  the  ordinary  cold.  There  are  two  or  three 
important  factors  in  the  causation  of  this  condi- 
tion. Bacteria  of  one  variety  or  another  are 
practically  always  present  and  play  a  prominent 
part  in  the  production  of  the  symptoms.  In  most 
cases,  also,  there  is  a  disturbance  of  the  circulation 
of  the  blood,  especially  of  the  respiratory  tract. 
Again,  as  in  so  many  other  cases,  the  general 
condition  of  the  body  is  of  prime  importance, 
otherwise  we  should  never  be  free  from  colds. 
There  are  many  things  that  will  lower  the  resis- 


i8o  BASKET  BALL 

tance  of  the  body.  Congestion  of  the  respiratory 
tract  may  result  from  a  number  of  factors.  It 
may  be  caused  by  undue  exposure  to  the  cold, 
causing  a  disturbance  of  the  general  circulation. 
This  is  especially  true  in  persons  with  poorly 
trained  skins.  It  commonly  follows  irritation  of 
the  lining  of  the  nose  and  throat  by  such  agents 
as  dust  and  hot,  dry  air.  Deformed  septums,  dis- 
eased tonsils,  and  adenoid  growths  interfere  with 
the  normal  functioning  of  the  respiratory  organs 
and  are  responsible  for  a  large  number  of  colds 
as  well  as  many  other  more  serious  conditions. 
If  the  invading  organism  be  of  sufficient  virility 
there  may  result  an  attack  of  a  cold  in  healthy 
individuals.  This,  however,  we  believe  to  be 
unusual.  Athletes  often  suffer  from  severe  colds, 
but  with  them,  as  with  other  apparently  normal 
individuals  who  suddenly  come  down  with  a 
severe  cold,  the  cause  lies  not  in  any  special 
strength  of  the  bacteria,  but  rather  in  a  tempo- 
rary lowering  of  resistance  resulting  from  careless 
exposure  or  from  overwork  and  fatigue.  There  is 
a  limit  to  the  physical  endurance  of  the  athlete 
just  the  same  as  with  any  one  else,  and  the  limit 
of  his  work  should  be  where  his  reserve  strength 
is  greatest  and  not  at  the  point  where  his  reserve 
power  is  exhausted.  When  for  any  reason  during 
practice,  or  a  game,  the  player  is   not  working. 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  i8i 

he  should  be  properl}^  protected  from  the  cold. 
If  the  athlete  is  not  overworked  and  he  observes 
the  same  rules  regarding  his  health  as  everybody 
should,  he  ought  to  be  practically  free  from  colds. 
Just  because  they  are  strong  and  in  good  health, 
athletes  often  disobey  certain  rules  of  hygiene 
and  take  chances  that  ordinarily  they  would  not 
be  willing  to  take. 

In  preventing  colds  the  most  important  factor 
is  following  the  rules  of  hygiene  and  keeping  the 
resistance  as  high  as  possible.  If  this  is  done  and 
attention  paid  to  the  other  causative  factors 
mentioned  above,  colds  should  be  rare.  To  avoid 
colds,  one  should  take  exercise  regularly;  but 
not  overwork  and  become  extremely  fatigued.  A 
bath  should  be  taken  once  a  day.  The  cold  bath 
is  a  tonic  and  a  valuable  agent  in  training  the 
skin  if  the  individual  is  strong  enough  to  get  a 
favorable  reaction  from  it.  Overheated  rooms 
should  be  avoided,  plenty  of  outdoor  fresh  air 
breathed,  the  windows  kept  open  while  sleeping, 
too  much  or  too  warm  clothing  avoided,  eating 
done  moderately,  plenty  of  water  drunk,  and  all 
of  the  organs  of  elimination  kept  working  nor- 
mally. 

For  the  athlete  whose  general  health  is  good, 
the  most  important  considerations  are  the  re- 
moval of  any  obstruction  or  handicap  to  normal 


1 82  BASKET   BALL 

breathing  or  functioning  of  the  respiratory  tract, 
such  as  diseased  tonsils  or  a  deflected  septum 
and  the  avoiding  of  extreme  fatigue  and  exposure 
to  the  cold.  The  principle  followed  in  trying  to 
abort  a  cold  is  to  relieve  the  congestion  in  the 
respiratory  tract.  This  may  be  done  by  taking  a 
saline  cathartic  or  by  dilating  the  pe^ripheral 
blood-vessels  by  use  of  a  hot  bath.  A  hot  drink  is 
of  value.  Other  methods  are  used,  such  as  the 
local  application  of  drugs,  but  this  should  be  done 
only  under  the  direction  of  a  physician.  The  hot 
bath  should  be  taken  before  going  to  bed  and  care 
exercised  to  prevent  chilling  of  the  body  after 
the  bath.  Hot  lemonade  is  the  most  popular 
drink.  The  best  cathartics  are  magnesium  sul- 
phate or  Epsom  salt  and  Rochelle  salt.  This  is 
especially  true  if  taken  during  the  daytime;  at 
night  calomel  is  recommended,  to  be  followed  b}^ 
Epsom  salt  the  next  morning.  The  best  time  to 
take  magnesium  sulphate  is  in  the  morning,  half 
an  hour  or  so  before  breakfast.  Plenty  of  water 
should  be  drunk  with  it. 

The  thing  to  remember  about  the  treatment  of 
a  cold  is  the  fact  that  after  the  initial  stages  the 
condition  is  one  that  affects  the  whole  body  and 
not  just  the  respiratory  organs.  While  it  is  true 
that  in  many  cases  the  most  marked  symptoms 
are  in  the  nose  and  throat,  yet  there  is  always  a 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  183 

lowering  of  the  general  resistance.  There  is  a 
struggle  with  the  disease  in  which  the  whole 
body  is  involved.  We  should  not  think  of  a  cold 
as  a  condition  of  little  consequence  but  rather  a 
disease,  which,  if  not  properly  cared  for,  may  lead 
to  very  serious  results.  It  is  common  knowledge 
that  the  complications  of  a  cold  are  many  and 
oftentimes  serious.  In  most  cases  the  abortive 
treatment  of  colds  is  unsuccessful.  But  it  is 
always  worth  while  to  try.  Whether  it  is  expected 
to  stop  it  or  not  a  cathartic  should  be  taken. 
After  that  the  most  successful  treatment  consists 
of  following  carefully  the  laws  of  individual  hy- 
giene and  taking  the  best  possible  care  of  oneself. 
Drugs  are  of  very  little  value.  Baking-soda  is 
useful,  when  taken,  half  a  teaspoonful  in  half  a 
glass  of  water  every  half  hour  for  six  doses. 
Medical  treatment  may  be  advisable  but  it 
should  be  done  by  a  physician. 

There  are  numerous  cough  medicines  and  other 
drugs  widely  advertised  for  colds,  but  most  of 
them  are  useless  and  some  are  harmful.  If  a  man 
is  sick  enough  to  use  drugs,  he  is  sick  enough  ts 
have  the  services  of  a  physician.  If  the  tempera- 
ture is  above  normal,  the  patient  should  go  to 
bed.  That  is  the  best  treatment  for  a  bad  cold. 
And  one  should  not  go  out  until  the  second  day 
after  his  temperature  has  come  back  to  nonnal. 


1 84  BASKET  BALL 

Colds  are  contagious,  infectious  diseases,  which  is 
another  reason  why  the  sick  man  should  stay  at 
home  until  the  disease  has  subsided.  Staying  in 
for  a  few  days  will  often  save  time  in  the  end.  If 
one  is  up  and  about,  as  most  people  are  with  a 
cold,  he  should  limit  his  activities  and  put  as  little 
strain  on  the  body  as  possible.  Plenty  of  fresh 
air  should  be  breathed  both  day  and  night.  Cold 
air  may  irritate  the  throat.  The  body  should  be 
kept  warm  so  as  to  prevent  chilling  of  the  skin. 
Overeating  should  be  guarded  against.  We  no 
longer  "stuff  a  cold"  nor  "starve  a  fever."  The 
food  should  be  moderate  in  amount  and  easily 
digested.  There  should  be  free  elimination  of 
waste  products  through  the  kidneys  and  intes- 
tines. If  the  body  reacts  favorably,  cool  or  cold 
baths  are  useful.  Plenty  of  sleep  is  demanded. 
Among  athletes  a  popular  way  of  treating  a  cold 
is  "working  it  off  by  exercise."  Physical  activity 
carried  to  the  point  where  it  stimulates  the  circu- 
lation and  other  physiological  processes  is  of 
distinct  value.  It  aids  the  organs  of  elimination 
and  is  a  stimulant  to  the  body.  However,  it 
should  be  moderate  and  stopped  short  of  the  point 
where  fatigue  begins  to  set  in.  How  much  we 
should  take  depends  upon  how  bad  a  cold  we  have 
and  how  strong  we  are.  Exercise  to  the  extent 
of  causing  excessive  perspiration   and   fatigue  is 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  185 

distinctly  harmful.  The  body's  resistance  is 
already  low  and  needs  all  the  energy  and  strength 
that  it  has,  and  severe  exercise  adds  additional 
strain  and  lowers  its  power  of  recuperation.  Ath- 
letes should  not  be  worked  hard  when  they  have 
colds. 

Tobacco,  Alcohol,  etc. 

The  poisons  which  man  voluntarily  puts  into 
his  body  and  which  do  him  most  harm  include 
alcohol,  tobacco,  and  others  found  in  drugs  and 
patent  medicines.  Although  we  have  national 
prohibition  it  is  worthy  of  note,  in  passing,  that 
alcohol,  used  by  many  in  the  past  as  a  beverage 
and  thought  by  others  to  be  a  stimulant,  is  in 
reality  a  narcotic,  the  same  as  chloroform,  which 
not  only  destroys  the  higher  powers  of  man 
such  as  reasoning  and  judgment  and  causing  him 
to  lose  control  of  his  sense  of  courtesy,  politeness, 
and  scruples  about  the  best  things  of  life,  but  also 
lowers  his  physical  efficiency.  Surely  it  is  un- 
necessary to  say  anything  further  about  an  evil 
that  has  spoiled  so  many  promising  career^  and 
caused  so  much  misery  in  the  world. 

There  is  much  that  might  be  said  regaiding 
drugs  and  patent  medicines.  It  should  be  re- 
membered that  it  is  not  the  medicine  that  a  man 
takes  that  causes  him  to  get  well.    "Most  curable 


1 86  BASKET  BALL 

diseases  get  well  of  themselves."  Sometimes  the 
drugs  given  are  the  main  agents,  but  in  most 
cases  we  have  to  depend  upon  the  body  for  the 
restoration  of  health.  It  is  a  very  unwholesome 
habit  to  depend  upon  drugs  to  cure  every  ache 
and  pain.  Going  to  the  drug  store  is  one  of  the 
so-called  "short-cut"  procedures  that  we  have 
invented  to  meet  the  conditions  of  modern  civili- 
zation. It  is  surprising  the  amount  of  drugs 
taken  and  the  large  sums  of  money  paid  to  the 
manufacturers  of  patent  medicines.  The  whole 
nostrum  business  is  largely  one  of  fraud.  The 
prices  paid  for  the  drugs  are  far  in  excess  of  that 
which  would  have  to  be  paid  for  the  same  thing 
on  the  prescription  of  a  physician.  Not  only 
that,  but  the  public  is  deceived  not  only  as  to 
what  the  preparation  contains,  but  also  as  to  its 
effects.  The  name  patent  medicine  is  a  misno- 
mer. The  products  are  not  patented.  The  laws 
of  this  country  would  not  allow  it.  Besides,  the 
manufacturers  do  not  want  them  patented.  The 
most  important  thing  to  the  individual  about 
taking  drugs  is  that  it  is  a  dangerous  procedure. 
Unless  taken  on  the  advice  of  a  physician,  more 
harm  than  good  is  apt  to  result.  We  are  con- 
tinually hearing  and  reading  of  cases  where  people 
have  been  made  very  sick  or  killed  as  a  result  of 
taking  some   medicine.      Moreover,   taking   such 


THE  HYGIENE  OF  TRAINING  187 

drugs  as  morphine,  cocaine,  and  others,  some- 
times results  in  a  drug  habit.  The  wise  course  to 
follow  is  to  let  all  drugs  alone  and  depend  upon 
sane  and  wholesome  living  to  keep  well.  When 
that  fails  see  a  physician. 

The  use  of  tobacco  by  athletes  is  a  question 
that  always  comes  up  in  the  discussion  of  training. 
There  has  been  a  great  deal  said  and  written  con- 
cerning it.  While  there  are  a  good  many  who 
defend  its  use  in  ordinary  life,  coaches  are  almost 
unanimous  in  condemning  it  for  athletes.  The 
physiological  effects  of  tobacco  are  not  entirely 
understood;  besides  there  are  so  many  factors, 
such  as  age  and  mode  of  using,  which  cause  its 
effects  to  vary.  One  cigarette  is  the  least  harm- 
ful form  in  which  to  use  tobacco;  but  the 
trouble  is,  that  one  is  so  little  satisfying  that 
another  is  taken,  and  then  another,  until  a  habit 
is  formed.  An  athlete  should  avoid  them.  Nico- 
tine is  the  chief  drug  found  in  tobacco.  There  are 
other  substances  such  as  ammonia  and  carbon 
monoxide  which  have  an  injurious  effect  on  the 
body.  Nicotine  has  a  narcotic  action  upon 
the  nervous  system.  Common  circulatory  distur- 
bances are  an  increased  rate,  palpitation,  and 
irregularity  of  the  heart.  Tobacco  also  has  a 
harmful  effect  on  the  digestion.  The  ammonia 
is  thought  to  irritate  the  mucous  membrane  of  the 


iS8  BASKET   BALL 

nose  and  throat.  In  moderate  amounts,  in  the 
normal  adult  tobacco  does  not  have  any  marked 
detrimental  effects,  and  that  probably  is  the  reason 
why  so  many  people  smoke  and  uphold  its  use. 
But  that  does  not  necessarilj'  mean  that  there  are 
no  detrimental  changes  taking  place.  We  are  cer- 
tain there  are  no  good  or  beneficial  results  coming 
from  it.  Tobacco  is  distinctly  harmful  for  growing 
boys.  All  authorities  are  agreed  upon  this  point. 
During  adolescence,  when  marked  physical  and 
mental  changes  are  taking  place,  marking  the 
growth  from  boyhood  into  adult  life,  serious  injury 
may  result  from  the  use  of  tobacco.  Athletes 
should  refrain  from  its  use.  There  can  be  no  ques- 
tion about  that.  No  boy  or  man  can  do  his  best, 
either  for  himself  or  the  team,  if  he  smokes  or 
chews.  The  claim  that  tobacco  "takes  your 
wind"  is  true.  Having  "good  wind"  is  a  question 
of  having  a  good  heart,  and  anything  affecting 
your  heart  as  tobacco  does,  will  "cut  your  wind." 


CHAPTER  IX 

SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  discussed 
the  most  important  factors  having  to  do  with  the 
general  health  of  the  individuaL  We  shall  now 
consider  the  special  considerations  necessary  for 
men  training  for  basket  ball.  As  hac  been  said 
before,  basket  ball  is  a  game  requiring  great  en- 
durance, but  it  is  also  a  game  of  much  speed  and 
great  skill.  To  become  a  polished  player,  it  re- 
quires, in  addition  to  a  strong  body  and  good 
general  health,  much  practice  and  attention  to 
the  features  which  are  particularly  characteristic 
of  the  game. 

Plan  of  Training 

Before  the  beginning  of  the  season  the  coach 
should  work  out  in  more  or  less  detail  his  plan 
of  training  for  the  season.  With  basket  ball,  as 
with  anything  else,  one  is  more  apt  to  succeed  if 
there  is  system  to  his  work  and  if  he  has  a  definite 
aim  or  goal  in  view.  The  same  principles  regard- 
ing training  and  general  plan  of  work  may  hold 
true  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  from  year  to  year, 

189 


I90  BASKET   BALL 

but  there  are  so  many  other  considerations  such 
as  the  caliber  of  the  men,  the  kind  of  a  schedule, 
injuries  to  players,  and  other  conditions  that  have 
to  be  met,  that  the  coach  cannot  afford  to  be 
content  with  working  out  his  plans  from  day  to 
day.  The  big  and  most  popular  aim  is  to  go 
through  the  season  and  win  as  many  games  as 
possible.  To  do  this  means  keeping  the  men  in 
the  best  possible  condition  and  up  to  the  highest 
point  of  efficiency.  The  aim  is  to  begin  before 
the  season  opens  and  in  a  short  time  get  the 
players  in  condition  for  the  opening  game  and 
then  by  continued  practice  gradually  increase 
their  ability  until,  at  the  end  of  the  season  when 
the  hardest  games  are  usually  played,  the  team 
will  represent  the  maximum  efficiency  in  basket 
ball.  But  the  purpose,  in  addition  to  winning 
games,  should  include  affecting  and  giving  the 
benefit  of  playing  this  splendid  game  to  as  many 
men  as  possible  without  lowering  the  effective- 
ness of  the  team.  Unfortunately,  the  number  of 
men  on  the  team  is  small  and  the  available  courts 
in  most  places  so  few  that  there  is  a  limit  to  the 
number  that  can  be  carried  on  the  squad.  The 
object  is  to  win  on  account  of  the  superb  condi- 
tion of  the  men  and  not  at  the  expense  of  their 
health.  It  should  be  the  aim,  also,  to  carry  on  the 
game  in  a  fine  sportsmanlike  way  so  that  the  team 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR   PLAY  191 

will  be  a  credit  and  honor  to  the  institution  or 
organization  it  represents.  The  greatest  values 
of  athletic  sports  are  not  physical  in  character, 
but  are  justified  rather  on  account  of  the  school 
spirit,  loyalty,  and  enthusiasm  which  they,  more 
than  any  other  factor,  help  develop  and  main- 
tain. A  proper  share  of  this  responsibility  should 
fall  upon  basket  ball. 

It  takes  about  six  weeks  for  a  man  to  get  into 
shape  for  any  of  the  major  athletic  sports,  pro- 
viding he  has  been  taking  good  care  of  himself 
for  some  time  previous  and  is  in  a  good  general 
condition.  If  the  men  have  not  kept  fit  it  may 
take  longer.  Most  school  teams  begin  their 
schedule  right  after  the  Christmas  vacation  and 
therefore  should  begin  practice  about  the  middle 
of  November.  It  often  happens  that  some  of 
the  best  basket-ball  players  are  also  playing  on 
the  football  team,  which  means  that  these  men 
cannot  start  practice  until  around  Thanksgiving 
time.  Athletes  should  not  try  to  participate  in 
two  sports  at  the  same  time.  Another  reason  for 
the  delay  in  beginning  basket-ball  practice  is  the 
fact  that  many  schools  have  but  one  man  who 
coaches  all  the  teams  and  therefore  no  attention 
can  be  given  to  basket  ball  until  he  is  through  with 
football.  But  there  is  no  reason  why  the  men  who 
are  not  playing  football  should  not  start  work- 


192  BASKET   BALL 

ing  in  the  gymnasium,  even  though  there  is  no 
one  to  coach  them  for  a  week  or  two.  They  can 
be  told  in  a  general  way  what  to  do,  besides,  there 
will  always  be  some  one  of  more  or  less  experience 
who  can  take  charge  and  supervise  the  work. 

Systematic  Practice 

At  the  very  beginning  it  is  well  for  the  coach  to 
get  the  men  together  and  go  over  with  them 
his  plans  for  the  season  and  have  an  understand- 
ing regarding  what  is  expected  of  the  players. 
We  refer  now  to  such  things  as  the  amount  of 
required  time  for  practice,  the  way  the  work  is 
to  be  carried  out,  and  the  conduct  of  the  men  in 
regard  to  training  and  keeping  in  condition. 

While  it  is  most  desirable  that  the  men  have  a 
good  time  and  thoroughly  enjoy  every  phase  of 
the  work,  it  is  essential  to  the  greatest  success  of 
the  team  that  practice  be  conducted  in  a  business- 
like manner.  It  sometimes  happens  that  what 
appears  to  be  very  promising  material,  turns  out 
to  be  of  very  little  value  as  the  result  of  the  care- 
less way  in  which  the  men  are  allowed  to  practise. 
Nothing  is  ever  accomplished  either  in  practice 
or  in  a  game  by  indifferent  playing.  Men  get 
into  very  bad  habits  by  "just  fooling  around." 
Everything  done  in  practice  should  be  given  the 
same  amount  of  attention  and  done  with  the  same 


FIG.  20.    TWO  POSITIONS   ASSUMED   IN   JUMPING.— PAGE  37. 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR   PLAY  193 

care  as  would  be  given  it  in  a  game.  For  example, 
the  wild  careless  way  in  which  a  man  sometimes 
shoots  in  practice  is  a  very  p>oor  habit  to  form. 
If  a  player  will  imagine  every  time  he  shoots 
that  it  is  a  very  critical  point  in  a  championship 
game,  and  do  his  very  best  to  make  the  basket,  he 
will  find  that  his  shooting  will  improve  not  only 
in  practice  but  in  the  games  as  well.  Another 
thing  that  is  apt  to  be  done  carelessly  in  practice 
is  passing  the  ball.  The  importance  of  passing 
is  not  appreciated  by  the  average  person  interested 
in  the  game.  It  is  known,  of  course,  that  good 
passing  is  necessary  to  first-class  team-work,  and 
in  most  cases  it  is  the  measure  employed  in  bring- 
ing the  ball  down  the  floor  to  within  shooting 
distance  of  the  opponent's  goal,  but  that  is  not 
all  to  remember  about  this  important  part  of  the 
game.  Good  passing  is  an  art  that  requires  as 
much  good  judgment,  quick  thinking,  and  some- 
times the  same  skill  as  shooting.  It  will  not  only 
make  possible  the  running  up  of  a  big  score,  but 
it  will  do  more  than  anything  else  to  demoralize 
the  opposing  team.  In  a  play  involving  passing 
the  ball,  the  man  who  does  the  passing  is  just  as 
responsible  as  the  player  who  is  catching,  al- 
though it  is  the  latter  who  usually  gets  the  blame 
if  the  ball  is  dropped  and  the  play  fails.  We  have 
already  spoken  of  the  subject  of  passing  the  ball. 


194  BASKET  BALL 

but  it  is  mentioned  here  again  because  of  its  im- 
portance, the  difficulty  with  which  the  abiHty  to 
do  it  well  is  acquired,  and  because  it  is  so  often 
neglected.  A  team  never  becomes  so  good  that 
the  passing  cannot  be  improved.  For  that  reason 
coaches  should  be  as  careful  about  it  as  possible. 
The  "wild  heaves"  and  "throwing  the  ball  away" 
which  one  so  commonly  sees  in  games  is  the  re- 
sult of  having  done  the  same  thing  in  practice. 
There  is  much  truth  in  the  statement  that  "a 
man  plays  the  way  he  practises."  What  has 
been  said  about  passing  and  shooting  is  true 
with  every  other  phase  of  the  game. 

The  problem  that  the  coach  has  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  season  is  to  take  a  group  of  men  or 
boys,  some  of  whom  are  in  good  condition  and 
some  of  whom  are  not,  and  by  more  or  less  inten- 
sive work  train  them  in  the  fundamentals  of  the 
sport  and  at  the  same  time  whip  the  team  into 
shape  for  the  opening  or  pre-season  games.  The 
practice  at  first  should  be  light  and  short.  For 
the  first  three  or  four  days  it  should  not  be  over 
thirty  or  forty  minutes.  It  is  never  advisable 
to  make  practice  too  long.  When  a  man  becomes 
fatigued  he  naturally  slows  down  with  the  result 
that  in  practice,  when  he  does  not  have  the  stimu- 
lation of  the  crowd  and  interest  and  competition 
of  a  game,  he  not  only  plays  poorly  but  is  apt 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  195 

to  become  careless,  a  fault  which  he  should  make 
every  effort  to  avoid.  The  time  to  stop  is  when 
the  players  are  going  at  top  speed  and  just  before 
they  begin  to  fall  off  in  their  work.  The  men  will 
often  protest  against  this  and  want  to  play  longer, 
but  it  should  not  be  allowed.  That  does  not  mean 
that  they  should  not  have  that  "just  one  more 
basket"  but  it  should  not  mean  another  twenty 
or  thirty  minutes.  The  men  should  come  off  the 
floor  tired  but  feeling  good.  If  the  practice  is 
snappy  and  hard  as  it  should  be,  after  the  first 
few  weeks  there  is  danger,  if  the  men  are  worked 
too  long,  that  they  will  be  "stale."  Most  teams 
get  too  much  rather  than  too  little  practice.  The 
coach  should  have  a  very  definite  idea  before  he 
takes  the  men  on  the  floor  of  what  he  is  going  to 
do  at  each  practice.  If  he  does  this  and  has  sys- 
tem in  the  work,  an  hour  and  a  quarter  or  an  hour 
and  a  half  should  be  long  enough.  The  time,  of 
course,  will  vary  according  to  the  time  of  season, 
the  day  of  the  week,  number  of  men  on  the  squad, 
and  so  on;  but  usually  it  can  be  confined  to  an 
hour  and  a  half.  It  should  seldom  be  necessary 
to  run  it  for  two  hours  or  over.  For  high  school 
players  one  hour  should  be  suflficient,  and  for 
boys  in  the  grades  a  still  shorter  time. 

The  coaches  of  high  school  or  other  boys'  teams 
should  adapt  the  game  as  nearly  as  possible  to 


196  BASKET  BALL 

meet  the  physical  condition  of  the  boys,  and  they 
should  not  make  the  common  mistake  of  trying 
to  make  the  boys  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
game  as  it  is  supposed  to  be  played  by  adults. 
The  official  rules  of  basket  ball  are  intended  pri- 
marily for  full-grown  men.  For  a  long  time  girls 
tried  to  play  the  game  according  to  men's  rules; 
and  very  unfortunately,  for  the  girls,  it  is  still 
done  in  some  places.  Finally,  however,  the  mis- 
take was  discovered  and  now  the  girls  have  their 
own  rules.  A  modification  of  men's  rules  for  the 
boys  would  also  be  a  good  thing.  During  adoles- 
cence, that  stage  of  life  when  the  boy  is  changing 
from  boyhood  into  manhood,  he  cannot  stand  the 
strain  of  exercise  that  requires  great  endurance. 
Basket  ball  demands  all  the  reserve  power  of  the 
heart  which  at  this  time  of  life  is  weak.  Much 
can  be  done  to  obviate  the  condition  by  reducing 
the  length  of  halves  to  ten  or  twelve  minutes. 
If  it  is  desirable  to  play  longer,  we  suggest  play- 
ing the  game  in  quarters  of  about  eight  minutes 
each  with  five  minutes  intermission  between  each 
quarter. 

Development  of  the  Team 

For  the  first  few  days  the  work  should  not  only 
be  short  but  should  also  be  light.  It  is  a  great 
mistake  to  practise  too  long  or  too  hard  at  the 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR   PLAY  197 

beginning.  The  coach  will  accomplish  more  in 
the  end,  in  the  way  of  getting  the  men  into  con- 
dition, by  increasing  the  work  gradually.  The 
temptation  is  to  go  at  it  hard  and  the  players  will 
want  to  do  it.  The  harm  from  this  procedure, 
however,  lies  in  impeding  the  progress  of  the 
players  by  making  them  lame  and  stiff,  and  the 
recovery  from  such  a  condition  always  means  a 
loss  of  time.  The  condition  of  each  man  will 
vary,  so  the  coach  will  have  to  use  his  judgment 
regarding  what  each  man  can  do. 

We  have  discussed  the  subject  and  importance 
of  fundamentals  in  a  preceding  chapter.  As  the 
success  of  the  team  depends  upon  the  mastery 
of  shooting,  passing,  pivoting,  dodging,  dribbling, 
etc.,  the  coach  should  lose  no  time  in  getting  the 
men  to  work  on  these  essentials.  The  two  big 
things  that  should  always  be  kept  in  mind  and  al- 
ways worked  for  are  the  mastery  of  the  fundamen- 
tals and  the  ability  to  work  them  out  as  a  group  in 
the  form  of  team-work.  So  the  coach  should  begin 
working  on  them  the  first  day  and  keep  hammering 
away  at  them  all  season.  The  two  things  that  men 
want  to  do  most  at  practice  are  shooting  baskets 
and  scrimmaging.  Both  should  be  done,  but  not 
to  the  exclusion  of  everything  else.  Scrimmaging 
is  apt  to  be  overdone  at  the  beginning  of  the  sea- 
son.   The  objects  of  scrimmaging  are  to  keep  the 


198  BASKET   BALL 

men  happy  and  interested,  to  work  up  their  en- 
durance, to  give  the  players  a  chance  to  try  out  in 
a  game  what  they  have  been  taught  regarding 
pivoting,  dribbling,  etc.,  and  to  develop  team-work. 
There  should  be  a  short  scrimmage  practically 
every  day,  but  in  the  beginning  it  should  be  only 
long  enough  to  send  the  men  home  in  a  happy 
frame  of  mind  and  to  start  developing  their 
"wind."  The  principle  to  follow  is  to  practise 
each  part  of  the  game  a  little  each  day,  and  then 
try  to  put  the  parts  together  and  form  the  whole. 
After  a  thorough  drill  in  passing,  both  while 
standing  still  and  in  motion,  shooting  should  be 
practised,  using  the  various  kinds  of  shots  and 
placing  emphasis  upon  proper  form  and  methods. 
First  it  is  well  to  have  the  men  try  the  close  shots 
and,  as  they  become  accurate,  to  move  out  and 
shoot  from  a  greater  distance.  Emphasis  should 
be  laid  on  shooting  close  up  to  the  basket.  The 
joy  of  seeing  the  ball  drop  into  the  basket  when 
thrown  from  a  distance  tempts  many  players  to 
neglect  the  "close-up"  shots.  To  be  able  to  shoot 
from  a  distance  is  desirable  and  it  sometimes  wins 
close  games,  but  it  is  not  to  be  depended  upon  too 
much  to  run  up  the  score.  Most  championship 
teams  are  those  that  make  their  shots  close.  The 
average  player  can  become  very  accurate  when 
close  to  the  basket,  if  he  practises  and  gives  the 


FIG.  21.    THE   START  OF  THE   PIVOT.— PAGE  38. 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  199 

proper  attention  to  his  shooting.  How  often  we 
see  shot  after  shot  taken  close  to  the  goal  and  no 
basket  scored.  This  fault  the  coach  should  try  to 
correct  in  his  team.  The  first  practice  or  two 
should  be  free  shooting.  Then  the  men  can  begin 
to  shoot  under  conditions  similar  to  those  they  will 
find  in  a  game.  They  may  dribble  in  and  shoot  or 
shoot  in  turn,  and,  after  each  one  has  taken  his 
shot  and  is  on  his  way  back  to  his  place  in  line,  try 
to  guard  and  prevent  the  next  man  from  shoot- 
ing. The  pivot  and  dodge  can  also  be  practised 
in  connection  with  shooting.  A  couple  of  players 
who  act  as  guards  may  be  placed  in  front  of  the 
basket.  Before  each  man  shoots  he  attempts  to 
dodge  or,  by  pivoting,  elude  the  guard  and  then 
try  for  the  basket.  The  men  should  also  be  taught 
to  follow  up  their  shots.  It  is  generally  advisable 
to  run  in  after  each  shot,  but  to  do  it  successfully 
requires  nerve  and  grit  as  well  as  speed  and  good 
judgment;  and  there  are  not  many  players  who 
do  it  well.  To  be  able  to  judge  where  the  ball  is 
going  to  come  down,  when  to  start  and  get  to  the 
right  spot  at  the  proper  time,  as  well  as  to  get  by 
two  or  three  guards,  requires  a  good  deal  of  ability 
and  practice.  Following  up  shots  is  good  basket 
ball  and  the  coach  should  insist  on  it.  The  man 
shooting  knows  better  than  any  one  else  on  the 
floor  just  where  the  ball  will  fall,  besides,  he  is 


200  BASKET   BALL 

usually  under  way  and  stands  a  better  chance 
than  the  other  players  of  getting  the  ball.  If 
he  does  not  get  it  himself  he  can  prevent  the  other 
team  from  securing  it  or  at  least  make  it  impossi- 
ble for  the  opponent  to  pass  the  ball  after  he  gets 
his  hands  on  it.  In  practice  the  shots  should  be 
followed  in  and  a  sufficient  number  of  attempts 
made  to  make  a  basket.  The  common  practice 
of  shooting  after  passing  the  ball  up  and  down  the 
floor  is  also  very  good. 

One  of  the  most  valuable  men  on  the  team  is  a 
good  foul  shooter.  A  basket  made  from  a  foul 
shot  counts  one  half  as  much  as  one  from  scrim- 
mage, and  it  often  happens  that  a  team  with  a 
man  who  can  shoot  fouls  keeps  "in  the  running" 
when  otherwise  it  would  be  entirely  outclassed. 
Early  in  the  season  the  coach  should  try  to  find 
a  couple  of  good  foul  shooters.  One  is  sufficient 
while  he  is  in  the  game,  but  he  should  have  a  good 
substitute  to  take  his  place  in  case  he  is  forced 
to  retire.  It  is  well  to  try  out  several  men  until 
the  coach  is  sure  of  the  most  likely  ones  and  then 
work  with  them.  These  men  should  try  from 
twenty-five  to  fifty  foul  shots  every  day.  After 
they  have  acquired  the  proper  form  they  should 
do  their  shooting  as  nearly  as  possible  under  game 
conditions,  that  is,  instead  of  standing  still  on 
the  foul  line  and  shooting  shot  after  shot  while 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  201 

some  one  passes  the  ball  back  to  them  each  time, 
they  should,  after  the  first  few  tries,  move  about 
the  court  after  each  shot  for  a  few  seconds,  shoot- 
ing, dribbling,  etc.,  and  then  step  up  to  the  foul 
line  and  shoot.  Foul  shooters  have  their  off 
days  the  same  as  any  one  else,  and  to  know  when 
to  change  men  and  let  another  player  do  the 
shooting  is  something  that  is  very  difficult  for 
the  coach  to  determine. 

As  with  shooting,  so  practice  on  the  other  pri- 
mary essentials  should  be  carefully  carried  out. 
They  should  be  practised  in  their  simplest  form 
and  then  gradually  worked  in  with  the  other 
phases  of  the  game,  increasing  their  complexity 
until  they  exactly  simulate  game  conditions. 
There  are  but  very  few  special  exercises  or  mea- 
sures that  are  of  any  value  in  training  men  for 
basket  ball.  Best  results  are  obtained  from  prac- 
tising the  same  things  and  in  the  same  way  as 
one  would  be  expected  to  do  them  in  the  game. 

The  habit  which  many  teams  have  of  playing 
p re-season  games  is  a  good  one.  Such  an  arrange- 
ment stimulates  interest  and  does,  without  any 
question,  give  the  men  good  experience.  It  en- 
ables the  coach  to  find  and  strengthen  certain 
weaknesses  which  appear  only  when  playing  other 
teams,  and  these  weaknesses  had  better  appear 
in    pre-season    games    than    in    a   championship 


202  BASKET   BALL 

series.  New  men  can  be  tried  out  and  many  other 
experiments  made.  Most  teams  will  not  Bnd  it 
advisable  to  play  more  than  two  or  three  pre- 
season games. 

Conditioning 

After  the  season  has  started  and  the  preliminary 
problems,  such  as  picking  the  team,  are  out  of  the 
way,  the  work  of  the  coach  resolves  itself  into 
taking  the  squad  and,  by  wise  regulation  of  prac- 
tice and  work,  improve  the  playing  of  the  first 
team  and  get  it  into  top-notch  form  for  the  decid- 
ing games  at  the  end  of  the  season.  There  arc 
no  particular  new  difficulties.  The  whole  problem 
confines  itself  to  progressing  along  the  funda- 
mental lines  which  we  consider  so  important  in 
the  beginning.  There  can  be  no  advancement 
except  that  resulting  from  an  improvement  in 
shooting,  dribbling,  and  the  other  basic  aspects 
of  the  game.  All  through  the  season  the  work  of 
necessity  must  be  that  of  mastering,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  fundamentals  and  working  them  out 
in  a  polished  way  in  the  form  of  team-work.  Where 
the  emphasis  will  be  laid  depends  upon  the  caliber 
of  the  team  and  what  its  weak  sp>ots  are.  This 
is  something  that  each  individual  coach  must 
decide.  If  the  team  cannot  shoot,  emphasize 
shooting;    if  poor  in  passing,  stress  passing,  and 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  203 

so  on.  The  coach  should  try  to  make  his  team 
superior  in  the  essentials  and  not  depend  upon 
some  fancy  shooting  or  passing.  There  is  not 
much  room  for  frills  in  basket  ball.  The  oppo- 
nents and  their  particular  style  of  play  will  also 
determine  the  course  of  training  from  week  to 
week.  A  team  should  be  able  to  play  more  than 
one  style  of  game,  or  at  least  know  enough  about 
the  different  styles  of  offense  and  defense  so  as 
not  to  be  altogether  lost  and  helpless  when  some- 
thing new  or  the  unexpected  is  tried. 

All  through  the  season  the  coach  should  try 
to  keep  the  men  feeling  fine  not  only  physically 
but  mentally.  They  should  enjoy  their  playing. 
Something  more  than  just  hard  physical  work  is 
necessary  in  training  men  for  athletic  contests. 
The  coach  should  know  not  only  the  kind  of  work 
which  is  needed  but  also  how  much  and  when  it 
should  be  done.  Sometimes  it  is  just  as  important 
to  know  when  not  to  work  as  when  to  be  busy. 
It  is  impossible  to  keep  the  team  at  its  very  best 
every  day  of  the  season,  but  by  careful  coaching 
and  skilful  use  of  the  time  between  games  the 
men  should  enter  every  contest  in  good  spirits  and 
in  the  pink  of  condition.  We  are  thinking  now 
of  a  schedule  having  but  one  game  a  week  and 
are,  of  course,  barring  accidents  of  any  kind. 
The  idea  is  to  have  the  team  at  its  best  at  the 


204  BASKET   BALL 

right  time  and  that  is  the  day  of  the  ccHitest. 
Each  week  should  find  the  team  in  better  condirion 
than  it  was  the  week  before,  until  at  the  end  of 
the  season  it  is  at  its  maximum  point.  All  coaches 
should  be  on  the  lookout  for,  and  try  to  prevent, 
the  common  condition  of  staleness.  Overtraining 
or  staleness  is  due  to  overwork  and  the  persistence 
of  fatigue  products  in  the  system.  When  work  is 
too  strenuous  or  the  periods  between  activity  too 
short,  the  body  is  unable  to  maintain  the  proper 
balance  between  the  breaking-down  and  the  build- 
ing-up processes.  As  the  process  goes  on  there  is 
an  accumulation  of  the  fatigue  products  which 
poison  the  body  and  lower  the  individual's  re- 
serve power.  Finally  a  point  is  reached  where  the 
body  has  nothing  left  to  draw  on  and  a  break  of 
some  kind  follows.  The  athlete  that  has  gone 
stale  lacks  ambition,  falls  off  in  his  playing; 
his  face  loses  its  natural  color,  the  eyes  are  sunken, 
there  may  be  loss  of  weight;  he  is  nervous  and 
irritable  and  is  apt  to  suffer  from  minor  illnesses. 
The  best  treatment  is  to  lighten  his  work  and 
give  him  a  chance  to  regain  his  strength.  Some- 
times a  complete  change  of  routine  is  desirable. 
This  with  plenty  of  sleep,  rest,  a  proper  diet,  and 
something  to  keep  his  mind  from  worry  of  any 
kind  will  usually  enable  him  to  regain  his  health 
in  a  couple  of  weeks.     But  the  important  thing 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR   PLAY  205 

is  to  prevent  this  condition,  and  it  is  done  by  not 
overworking  the  men. 

If  the  game  is  on  Saturday  the  practice  Mon- 
day should  be  shorter  than  usual,  most  of  the  time 
being  spent  on  doing  the  things  in  which  as  a  re- 
sult of  the  last  game  the  team  was  found  to  be 
weak,  and  ending  up  with  a  short  scrimmage. 
Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  Thursday  should  be 
the  days  of  longest  scrimmage  and  when  a  good 
deal  of  time  should  be  spent  on  strengthening  the 
weak  places,  correcting  mistakes  of  the  past,  or 
practising  some  special  play  for  the  next  game. 
On  Friday  or  the  day  before  the  game  there  should 
be  a  very  little  scrimmaging  and  the  practice 
rather  short.  The  players  should  shoot  a  few  bas- 
kets, run  through  the  plays  to  be  used  the  next 
day,  and  then  conclude  with  a  five  or  ten  minute 
scrimmage.  If  possible,  practice  should  be  held 
at  the  same  time  of  the  day  as  the  games  are 
played.  If  the  games  are  scheduled  for  the  eve- 
ning, it  is  better  to  have  practice  at  that  time. 
The  obvious  reason  is  to  enable  the  players  to  be- 
come accustomed  to  the  light. 

On  the  day  of  the  game  the  players  should  go 
about  their  work  just  as  they  are  accustomed  to 
do  on  any  other  day.  They  will  play  a  better 
game  if  they  carry  out  their  regular  routine  of 
life.     The  student's  work  is  not  so  severe  as  to 


2o6  BASKET  BALL 

uie  up  much  of  his  reserve  physical  strength, 
besides  it  keeps  his  mind  off  the  game,  which  is 
wise.  If  he  has  any  time  on  his  hands  he  is  apt 
to  worry.  The  team  should  report  at  the  gym- 
nasium an  hour  before  the  game.  Half  of  the  re- 
maining time  will  be  consumed  in  getting  dressed 
and  talking  over  anything  the  coach  may  want  to 
bring  up  before  the  men  go  on  the  floor.  The 
coach  should  not  have  a  great  deal  to  say.  Suc- 
cess in  basket  ball  comes  from  being  able  to  do 
things  from  force  of  habit  without  having  to  stop 
and  think  about  it,  and  it  does  not  do  much  good 
to  try  to  learn  too  many  things  just  at  the  last 
minute.  The  twenty  or  thirty  minutes  on  the 
floor  before  the  game  is  called  should  be  spent  in 
first  shooting  at  rather  a  short  distance  from  the 
goal  and  then  moving  back  for  the  average  shot. 
A  few  long  shots  should  also  be  taken.  If  on  a 
foreign  floor,  it  is  important  to  notice  the  condi- 
tion and  size  of  the  court  as  well  as  the  back- 
boards and  baskets.  In  most  cases  they  will  be 
different  than  the  ones  the  team  is  accustomed  to 
and  it  will  require  some  attention  to  get  used  to 
them.  All  the  important  movements  of  the  game, 
such  as  pivoting  and  dribbling,  should  be  prac- 
tised before  time  for  play  is  called.  All  of  this 
can  be  worked  in  with  the  shooting.  The  men 
may  dribble  in  and  shoot,  shoot  after  pivoting. 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  207 

and  so  on.  Just  before  the  game  is  called,  the 
second-string  men  should  leave  the  floor  and  allow 
the  five  men  who  are  going  to  start  the  game  to 
get  thoroughly  warmed  up  by  passing  the  ball  up 
and  down  the  floor.  After  a  few  minutes  of 
warming  up,  the  men  who  will  shoot  the  fouls 
should  practise  several  shots  apiece,  first  taking 
a  few  consecutive  shots  without  moving  from 
the  foul  line  and  then  taking  turns,  each  man 
moving  about  the  floor  a  little  before  he  shoots. 
Living  a  hygienic  life  and  playing  basket  ball 
itself  is  all  that  is  necessary.  Running  the  men 
around  the  track,  giving  calisthenic  exercises  and 
the  like  are  not  only  unnecessary  but  may  do 
more  harm  than  good.  Experience  has  shown  that 
the  centre  may  improve  and  add  several  inches 
to  his  jump  by  practising  a  few  minutes  each  day 
trying  to  touch  a  ring  placed  at  a  certain  height. 
There  may  be  a  few  other  exercises  which,  like 
the  one  just  mentioned,  are  similar  to  co-ordina- 
tions used  in  a  game  and  might  therefore  be  of 
value. 

Picking  the  Team 

One  of  the  hardest  problems  of  the  coach  is  to 
eliminate  from  the  number  that  first  report  for 
practice  the  men  who  are  not  good  enough  to 
be  of  any  value  to  the  squad,  and  in  the  second 


2o8  BASKET  BALL 

place  to  choose  the  five  best  men  for  the  first 
team.  Scrimmage  is  necessary  to  tell  whether 
or  not  a  man  is  a  real  basket-ball  player.  It  is  a 
common  observation  that  men  who  show  up  well 
in  practice  in  shooting,  dribbling,  and  other  phases 
of  technic  often  are  miserable  failures  in  a  game. 
It  is  not  how  good  a  man  looks  in  practice  that 
counts,  but  rather  how  he  behaves  in  a  game. 
Ordinarily,  the  man  showing  good  form  will  be  the 
better  man  in  any  branch  of  athletics,  but  this 
does  not  always  hold  true.  Even  after  he  is  in 
the  game,  the  class  of  a  man  is  shown  not  by  his 
form,  but  by  the  number  of  baskets  he  makes, 
and  what  he  contributes  to  the  success  of  his  team. 
In  basket  ball  as  much  perhaps  as  in  any  other 
game  there  is  the  opportunity  to  be  selfish,  to 
"show  off"  and  "play  to  the  gallery."  Unfortu- 
nately for  the  game,  this  sort  of  procedure  is  not 
uncommon.  Such  a  man  may  succeed  in  making 
the  crowd  believe  he  is  a  great  player,  while  in 
reaHty  he  is  contributing  very  little.  In  deciding 
who  shall  be  on  the  team,  there  are  a  number 
of  factors  to  be  considered.  The  ideal  player  is  a 
man  who  plays  well,  keeps  himself  in  good  condi- 
tion, is  willing  to  learn,  co-operates  with  the  other 
members  of  the  team  and  the  coach,  and,  while 
taking  the  game  seriously,  not  only  looks  on  the 
bright  side  of  Hfe  himself  but  tries  to  keep  every- 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  109 

body  else  happy.  Every  player  should  be  required 
to  measure  up  to  these  requirements  before  being 
allowed  to  play.  It  often  happens  that  a  school 
does  not  have  as  good  players  as  is  desired,  but 
there  can  be  no  excuse  for  playing  men  of  ques- 
tionable character.  School  authorities  are  too 
often  inconsistent  with  the  ideals  they  preach 
and  the  type  of  men  they  permit  to  represent  the 
school  on  the  athletic  teams.  A  man  as  an  indi- 
vidual may  be  a  good  player,  but  if  he  will  not 
co-operate,  if  he  goes  around  with  a  grouch  on, 
or  in  any  other  way  lessens  the  efficiency  of  the 
team,  the  coach  should  be  sure  his  good  points 
more  than  offset  his  bad  ones  before  he  is  given  a 
berth  on  the  team.  The  team  is  all-important 
and  not  the  individual.  The  player's  value  is  to 
be  considered  not  from  the  standpoint  of  the 
individual  but  from  the  standpoint  of  the  team. 
This  point  cannot  be  too  strongly  emphasized. 
The  coach  will  be  aided  in  picking  his  team  if, 
in  addition  to  observing  the  men  in  a  general  way, 
he  gets  some  statistics  and  definite  information 
as  to  their  playing.  This  can  be  done  by  having 
some  one  keep  account  of  the  number  of  times  a 
man  shoots  for  a  basket  during  a  game  and  how 
many  goals  he  makes,  what  proportion  of  his  passes 
are  good,  the  number  of  passes  he  recovers  and 
how  many  he  fails  to  catch,  how  many  times  he 


2IO  BASKET  BALL 

misses  the  signal,  and  so  on  with  all  the  important 
aspects  of  the  game  which  can  be  measured  quite 
accurately.  A  summary  of  such  a  record  may  show 
that  the  coach  has  been  mistaken  in  his  original 
opinion  regarding  a  certain  man.  Much  valuable 
information  can  be  secured  in  only  this  way.  If 
the  coach  finds  out  that  the  record  of  a  certain 
player  shows  him  to  be  the  best  shot  on  the  team 
he  should  make  it  possible  for  this  man  to  shoot 
more  often,  and  at  once,  if  all  other  factors  are 
the  same  as  before,  the  team  becomes  stronger. 

Every  man  should  be  given  a  fair  chance, 
especially  the  new  men  who  are  reporting  for  the 
first  time.  The  coach  should  be  sure  before  elimi- 
nating any  one  from  the  squad  that  he  cannot 
possibly  make  good.  New  men  are  apt  to  be  a 
little  shy,  and  the  veterans,  having  confidence 
born  of  a  year  or  more  of  experience,  sometimes 
make  it  hard  for  the  youngsters  to  get  in  and  get 
started.  Some  one  has  said  "It  is  not  what  you 
are  that  counts,  but  what  you  are  in  the  process  of 
becoming."  New  men  may  not  be  as  good  at  the 
start  as  the  older  players,  but  may,  with  perhaps 
half  the  coaching  given  the  veterans,  make  much 
better  players.  It  takes  a  little  time  to  pick  out 
the  best  players  if  the  squad  is  large,  and  espe- 
cially if  several  of  the  men  show  more  or  less 
equal  ability.     For  that  reason  the  coach  should 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  211 

be  wary  in  making  his  choice;  but  he  should 
not  wait  too  long.  The  more  the  same  men  play 
together  the  better  team  they  make,  and  hence 
the  five  best  players  should  begin  practising  and 
playing  together  as  soon  as  possible.  In  basket 
ball  there  is  a  great  deal  in  knowing  one's  team- 
mates. After  the  same  men  have  played  together 
for  some  time,  they  know  just  what  each  can  do 
and  what  is  expected  of  each  one.  They  learn  to 
"sense  positions"  unconsciously;  and  without 
looking  a  player  may  pass  the  ball  to  a  certain 
place  not  because  he  sees  any  one  there,  but  be- 
cause he  feels  and  knows  from  experience  that  a 
team-mate  will  be  there  to  receive  it.  The  only 
way  this  condition  may  be  acquired  is  by  working 
together.  For  that  reason,  other  things  being 
equal,  the  team  should  be  kept  intact.  It  is 
impossible  to  get  good  team-work  by  constantly 
changing  players.  It  is  not  good  policy  to  change 
players  too  often  in  a  game  unless  it  is  desired  to 
give  the  substitutes  a  chance  to  play.  The  best 
rule  is  to  start  the  first  team  and  keep  it  in- 
tact unless,  through  lack  of  endurance  or  injury, 
some  one  may  have  to  drop  out.  New  men  going 
in  break  up  the  smoothness  of  the  team-work 
as  it  takes  the  team  a  few  minutes  to  adjust  it- 
self to  the  change.  Again,  the  new  man  must 
learn,  as  did  the  player  he  is  replacing,  by  ex- 


212  BASKET   BALL 

perience  the  tricks  and  methods  of  his  opponents, 
and  the  time  lost  in  this  way  is  sometimes  disas- 
trous. It  occasionally  happens  that  the  second 
team  as  a  unit  is  stronger  than  the  first  team  with 
one  or  two  of  its  regulars  missing. 

The  plays  in  the  beginning  should  be  few  and 
simple.  The  aim  is  to  give  the  men  as  much 
opf)ortunity  to  work  out  and  practise  the  funda- 
mentals of  the  game  as  possible  and  at  the  same 
time  not  make  the  plays  any  more  difficult  than 
necessary.  It  is  not  the  elaborate  or  complex 
plays,  so  much  as  the  simple  and  fundamental 
ones  well  learned  and  done  well,  that  win  in 
basket  ball.  Although  there  is  a  difference  in  the 
quality  of  plays,  yet  it  is  not  so  much  their  su- 
periority as  the  way  in  which  they  are  executed 
that  decides  which  is  the  better  team.  Therefore, 
it  is  best  to  begin  with  the  easy  ones  and  learn 
them  well.  If  more  difficult  plays  are  desired 
they  may  be  added  from  time  to  time.  Basket 
ball  is  so  fast  and  things  happen  and  change  so 
quickly  that  a  team  easily  becomes  confused  and 
spoils  a  play  that  is  too  involved. 

Injuries 

Injuries  in  basket  ball  are  frequent.  They  do 
not  occur  as  often  as  in  football,  yet  they  are  not 
at  all  uncommon.    They  vary  from  a  slight  break 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR   PLAY  213 

in  the  skin  to  a  broken  bone  or  something  even 
more  serious.  Few  deaths  following  injuries 
received  in  basket  ball  have  been  reported.  The 
important  thing  regarding  injuries,  as  with  every 
aspect  of  ill  health,  is  to  prevent  them  if  possible. 
In  most  cases  men  get  hurt  as  a  result  of  bodily 
contact,  wearing  clothing  not  suitable  to  the  game, 
falling  on  a  slippery  floor,  or  running  into  some 
obstacle  placed  too  near  the  court.  It  is  impossi- 
ble to  prevent  men  running  into  each  other  while 
playing  basket  ball,  and  it  is  to  be  expected  that 
injuries  from  bodily  contact  will  continue  to 
happen  as  long  as  the  game  is  played.  The  only 
way  to  prevent  such  mishaps  is  for  the  athlete  to 
keep  himself  in  as  good  condition  as  possible, 
protect  the  parts  liable  to  injury,  and  increase  his 
skill  in  dodging  his  opponent.  The  better  and 
more  skilled  the  teams,  the  less  likely  are  the  men 
to  get  hurt.  It  is  in  the  scrub  games  that  most 
injuries  occur.  The  coach  should  keep  his  good 
men  out  of  all  such  "free-for-all"  affairs. 

The  problem  of  keeping  the  gymnasium  in  con- 
dition to  play  basket  ball  or  to  take  any  form  of 
strenuous  exercise  is  a  puzzling  one  for  many 
coaches  and  directors  of  gymnasiums.  This  is 
due  to  the  popularity  of  social  dancing  among 
students.  In  most  schools  the  gymnasium  is 
the  only  place  suitable  for  this  form  of  recreation. 


214  BASKET   BALL 

and,  naturall}^  there  is  a  great  demand  for  its  use. 
So  throughout  most  of  the  school  year  there  is 
a  constant  conflict  between  the  students  who  want 
the  floor  waxed  for  dancing  and  those  who  are 
responsible  for  athletics  and  gymnasium  work. 
Men  cannot  play  basket  ball  on  a  waxed  floor 
without  danger  of  getting  hurt.  Therefore,  wax 
should  be  kept  ofl^  the  basket-ball  floor  altogether. 
On  the  other  hand,  one  cannot  dance  on  a  rough 
floor.  Just  the  dancing  alone,  however,  without 
any  special  preparation,  will  make  most  hard- 
wood floors  quite  satisfactory.  The  floor  will  not 
be  like  that  of  a  ballroom,  but  that  is  not  neces- 
sary. It  is  more  important  that  the  students  have 
a  place  to  enjoy  wholesome  exercise  every  day  in 
the  year  with  safety  than  it  is  to  have  some- 
where to  dance  one  or  two  hours  a  week  or  month. 
Water  should  not  be  used  to  clean  floors.  Sweep- 
ing with  oiled  sawdust  is  better.  A  mixture  of 
turpentine  and  linseed-oil  may  be  used. 

Accidents  happen  sometimes  as  a  result  of  the 
players  running  or  being  pushed  into  the  bleachers, 
some  piece  of  apparatus,  piano,  or  some  other 
obstacle  near  the  court.  Everything  of  this  sort 
should  be  kept  well  back  out  of  the  way.  Some- 
times the  gymnasium  is  so  small  that  the  basket- 
ball court  takes  up  most  of  the  space.  In  such  a 
case  every  dangerous  article  should   be  covered 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR   PLAY  215 

with  a  mat  or  padded  in  some  way.  A  little  effort 
in  this  direction  may  do  a  great  deal  of  good  in 
preventing  injuries  to  the  players. 

Scratches  and  cuts  occur  frequently  and  should 
be  treated  like  any  wound  in  which  the  skin  is 
broken.  Even  the  slightest  and  most  trivial 
wounds  should  not  be  neglected,  the  reason  being 
to  prevent  infection  and  a  more  serious  condition. 
Best  results  are  obtained  in  treating  open  wounds 
by  not  attempting  to  wash  them  out  with  water 
or  any  antiseptic  solution,  but  by  simply  apply- 
ing tincture  of  iodine  and  covering  them  up  with 
a  piece  of  sterile  gauze.  In  trying  to  wash  a 
wound  we  are  apt  to  put  more  germs  in  than  we 
take  out.  The  iodine  can  be  applied  by  a  cotton 
swab  made  by  twisting  a  piece  of  cotton  on  the 
end  of  a  stick.  Sterile  gauze  and  not  cotton  should 
be  used  to  cover  the  wound.  In  most  cases  it  is 
best  held  in  place  by  strips  of  adhesive  plaster. 
Plaster,  collodion,  and  "new  skin"  preparations 
should  not  be  used  as  there  is  a  danger  of  sealing 
up  an  infected  wound.  Before  handling  or  dress- 
ing a  wound  the  hands  should  be  washed  thor- 
oughly. The  severe  cuts  in  the  skin  above  the 
eye  or  on  the  face  usually  result  from  contact 
with  another  player's  head.  The  treatment  of 
these  cases  differs  from  that  described  above  in 
that  they  may  have  to  be  sewed  up.    If  the  wound 


2i6  BASKET   BALL 

is  so  deep  or  long  that  the  sides  cannot  be  brought 
together  with  adhesive  tape,  then  sewing  up  is 
advisable  in  order  to  prevent  a  bad  scar. 

Sprains  are  very  common  in  basket  ball.  They 
are  injuries  to  the  joints  caused  by  a  wrenching 
and  twisting  of  the  part,  resulting  in  a  stretching 
and  breaking  of  the  ligaments  and  rupture  of 
the  blood-vessels,  with  more  or  less  hemorrhage 
in  the  tissues.  In  treating  a  sprain  one  should 
first  be  sure  that  there  is  not  an  accompanying 
fracture.  In  many  cases  it  is  very  difficult  and 
sometimes  impossible  to  tell  whether  or  not  the 
bone  is  broken.  When  there  is  the  slightest  doubt 
about  it,  an  X-ray  picture  should  be  taken  and 
the  graver  condition  given  the  benefit  of  the  doubt. 
This  is  important  because  of  the  vast  difl^erence 
between  the  treatment  of  a  sprain  and  a  fracture 
and  also  because  of  the  permanent  injury  that  may 
result  from  a  broken  bone  that  is  not  treated 
properly.  More  and  more  cases  of  sprains  are 
turning  out  to  be  fractures  because  of  the  more 
extensive  use  of  the  X-ray.  The  symptoms  of  a 
sprain  are  pain,  which  is  increased  by  movement 
of  the  joint,  tenderness,  swelling,  and  perhaps 
redness  and  discoloration.  There  is  no  deformity. 
In  treating  a  sprain  the  best  practical  treatment 
consists  of  applying  cold  or  very  hot  water.  Some 
men    recommend    alternate   applications   of  heat 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR   PLAY  217 

and  cold.  A  good  rule  to  follow  is  this:  If  treat- 
ment can  be  applied  immediately,  use  cold;  if 
some  time  has  elapsed  since  the  injury,  use  heat. 
The  cold  causes  a  constriction  of  the  blood-vessels 
and  lessens  the  hemorrhage  into  the  tissues. 
Arnica  or  witch-hazel  has  the  same  effect.  Heat, 
when  applied  later  and  after  the  swelling  has 
occurred,  is  a  valuable  agent  in  helping  remove  the 
effused  material.  Rest  is  the  next  important  pro- 
cedure in  the  treatment.  The  injured  part  should 
not  be  used  until  the  acute  stage  of  the  injury  is 
over.  This  important  part  of  the  treatment  of 
athletic  injuries  furnishes  one  of  the  trainer's 
most  difficult  problems.  The  most  valuable  aid 
to  the  athlete  in  recovery,  namely,  rest  is  just  the 
thing  that  the  coach  usually  thinks  the  man  can- 
not have.  The  team  needs  his  services  and  there- 
fore it  is  insisted  that  the  injured  man  play.  Too 
often  this  is  done  to  the  detriment  of  the  player. 
The  player's  physical  welfare  is  sacrificed  for  the 
reputation  of  the  coach  or  team.  After  the  pain 
has  subsided  and  the  swelling  starts  to  go  down, 
massage,  using  one  part  of  bay  rum  and  seven 
parts  oil  of  wintergreen  as  a  lubricant  is  recom- 
mended. How  soon  the  joint  can  be  used  and  how 
much,  depends  upon  the  extent  of  the  injury  and 
how  fast  the  healing  process  takes  place.  During 
recovery,  and  especially  if  there  is  to  be  any  undue 


2i8  BASKET  BALL 

strain  on  the  joint,  it  should  be  supported  in 
some  way.  After  a  sprained  ankle  has  been  treated 
as  indicated  above,  it  should  be  strapped  up  well 
with  adhesive  plaster  before  the  athlete  attempts 
to  use  it  or  to  play  again.  He  should  be  able  to 
bear  some  weight  on  it  a  day  or  two  after  the 
injury.  As  the  swelling  goes  down  the  cast  or 
support  will  become  loose  and  a  new  one  will  have 
to  be  put  on.  Some  use  of  the  ankle  will  aid  re- 
covery, but  too  much  work  only  impedes  it. 
Therefore  the  coach  should  not  be  in  too  much  of 
a  hurry  to  get  the  man  back  into  the  game. 
Sprains  sometimes  leave  the  ankle  weak,  so  that 
some  kind  of  a  support  is  always  necessary.  It  is 
not  desirable  to  strap  up  perfectly  normal  ankles. 
A  shoe  that  fits  snugly  about  the  foot  and  ankle  is 
all  the  support  necessary.  The  best  support  for 
weak  arches  is  an  adhesive  cast.  Every  coach 
should  learn  from  a  physician  how  to  strap  the 
foot  and  ankle.  It  is  an  art  practised  by  many 
but  done  efiPectively  by  few. 

Bruises  are  the  commonest  of  all  injuries.  They 
result  from  two  players  coming  together  in  such  a 
way  that  the  muscles,  blood-vessels,  and  other 
tissues  under  the  skin  are  injured.  Usually  they 
are  minor  in  character  but  may  be  so  severe  as  to 
cause  injury  to  the  internal  organs.  The  condi- 
tion of  "Charley  Horse"  is  a  bruise  of  the  muscle. 


FIG.  23.    THE   DODGE.— PAGE  39. 
Evading  a  Charging  f  juard. 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  219 

A  bruise  of  any  extent  presents  symptoms  of 
pain>  redness,  and  swelling.  Due  to  the  hemor- 
rhage in  the  tissues  the  part  may  turn  black  and 
blue.  The  principle  of  treatment  is  the  same  as 
with  sprains,  using  cold  applications  Hrst  and 
later  on  heat.  Painting  the  part  with  the  tinc- 
ture of  iodine  may  be  tried,  as  sometimes  it  seems 
to  help.  Massage  is  very  good.  It  should  be 
done  so  as  to  aid  the  circulation  of  the  injured 
parts  and  not  so  severely  as  to  add  to  the  injury 
already  there.  The  rubbing  should  be  toward  the 
body.  A  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  alcohol,  water, 
and  glycerine;  cold-cream,  bay  rum,  and  oil  of 
wintergreen  may  be  used  with  the  massage.  Any 
lubricant  will  do,  as  it  is  not  the  material  rubbed 
on,  so  much  as  the  rubbing  itself,  which  does  the 
work. 

Injuries  to  the  knee  are  best  treated  by  rest, 
hot  applications,  and  bandaging.  An  elastic  knee 
bandage  or  knee  pad  is  valuable  in  protecting 
a  weak  knee. 

The  following  are  suggested  as  a  list  of  supplies 
that  should  be  kept  on  hand  for  the  treatment  of 
injuries. 


Alcohol I  pint 

Tincture  of  iodine 4  ounces 

Absorbent  cotton i  pound 

Adhesive  plaster i-half  dozen — 3-inch  roll* 


i2o  BASKET   BALL 

Bandages — 

2  inch 1  dozen 

3  inch I  dozen 

Unbleached  muslin  bandages — 

3  inch I  dozen 

Scissors 

Forceps 

Knife 

Mixture  of  bay  rum  and  oil  of 

wintergreen i  quart 

The  points  to  be  considered  in  equipping  a 
basket-ball  team  are  the  desirability  of  the  cos- 
tumes, as  far  as  the  playing  of  the  men  is  con- 
cerned, and  also  the  durability  and  attractiveness 
of  the  suits.  The  form-fitting,  low-neck,  and  deep 
armhole  shirts  are  best.  The  pants  should  be 
short,  fitting  snugly  around  the  waist  and  not  too 
tight  about  the  hips  and  thighs.  They  should  be 
padded  over  the  hips  or  have  a  free-hanging  hip 
pad  inside.  Any  good  athletic  stockings  are  satis- 
factory. They  should  be  footless.  Socks  should 
fit  the  foot  perfectly  and  be  rather  heavy.  No 
one  shoe  has  given  universal  satisfaction.  The 
thick,  suction-soled  shoes  with  high  canvas  tops 
are  as  popular  as  any.  Most  teams  use  their 
school  or  club  colors  in  choosing  their  suits. 
Every  player  should  have  a  jersey  or  sweater  to 
wear  when  for  any  reason  during  practice  or  in  a 
game  he  is  not  exercising  enough  to  keep  warm. 


SPECIAL  TRAINING  FOR  PLAY  221 

Knee  and  elbow  pads,  and  the  like,  are  not  a  nec- 
essary part  of  the  player's  equipment  unless,  on 
account  of  injury  or  for  some  other  particular 
reason,  there  is  a  special  need  for  them. 


CHAPTER  X 

ADMINISTRATION 

The  work  of  the  coach  is  greatly  lessened  if 
he  is  fortunate  enough  to  have  a  good  manager 
for  his  team.  School  teams  practically  always 
have  student  managers.  To  be  of  greatest  service 
to  the  team  the  manager  should  be  a  man  who 
has  had  some  experience  in  this  kind  of  work 
and  who  also  knows  something  about  the  game. 
Unfortunately,  this  is  often  not  the  case;  so  many 
times  the  appointment  or  election  of  a  manager 
is  simply  that  of  filling  a  position  with  some 
one  who  is  popular  rather  than  capable.  In 
schools  it  is  well  to  have  assistant  managers 
and  always  select  the  manager  from  one  of  them. 
From  the  standpoint  of  the  team  it  would  be 
better  to  do  away  altogether  with  the  plan  of 
having  student  managers,  and  in  their  place  have 
some  one  who  is  paid  to  do  the  work  and  who 
will  hold  the  position  more  or  less  permanently. 
Students  come  and  go  every  year,  and  a  manager 
no  more  than  learns  the  work  and  becomes  of 
some  value  when  he  is  graduated  and  a  new  man 
takes  his  place.    This  means  inefficiency,  and  more 


ADMINISTRATION  223 

cares  and  work  for  the  coach.  The  position  of 
manager  of  a  basket-ball  team  is  an  important 
one  and  much  care  should  be  exercised  in  filling  it. 
A  word  regarding  the  selection  of  a  coach  seems 
appropriate  at  this  point.  There  are  several 
points  that  should  be  kept  in  mind  by  school 
authorities  in  filling  this  position.  In  the  first 
place,  the  coach  should  be  a  man  of  good  charac- 
ter, a  man  who  will  have  a  wholesome  influence 
upon  all  of  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 
The  coach  has  other  responsibilities  besides  turn- 
ing out  winning  teams.  If  successful,  he  often 
becomes  the  idol  not  only  of  the  team  but  of  all 
the  boys  in  the  school,  and  his  influence  on  the 
student  body  is  very  great.  In  his  position  he  is 
able  to  do  more  good  or  harm,  whichever  it  may 
be,  than  any  teacher  in  the  school,  and  it  is  exceed- 
ingly important,  therefore,  that  he  be  a  thorough 
gentleman.  It  is  understood,  of  course,  that  the 
man  who  is  to  have  charge  of  the  team  should 
understand  and  know  the  game  well  enough  to 
coach  it.  It  is  highly  desirable  also  that  the  coach 
be  a  regular  member  of  the  faculty  and  employed 
for  the  entire  school  year  rather  than  just  for 
the  basket-ball  season.  The  results  of  engaging 
seasonal  coaches  are  often  very  unsatisfactory, 
as  it  is  impossible  for  the  man  who  comes  into  the 
school  just  long  enough  to  coach  one  particular 


224  BASKET   BALL 

sport  to  appreciate  the  aims  and  ideals  of  the 
institution,  and,  as  a  result,  we  often  find  a  com- 
plete lack  of  harmony  between  the  coach  and  the 
other  instructors  of  the  school. 

One  of  the  most  important  duties  of  the  mana- 
ger is  the  arrangement  of  the  schedule  of  games. 
Usually  school  teams  play  their  most  important 
games  in  some  kind  of  a  league,  and  it  is  the 
scheduling  of  these  contests  that  should  receive 
the  greatest  care.  One  thing  to  keep  constantly 
in  mind  is  that,  other  things  being  equal,  basket 
ball  is  a  game  that  is  won  on  the  home  floor 
and  lost  away  from  home.  The  visiting  team 
usually  has  to  be  from  ten  to  thirty  per  cent  better 
than  their  opponents  in  order  to  win  from  the 
home  team.  The  obvious  reason  for  this  is  the 
difference  found  in  the  basket-ball  courts.  The 
schedule,  therefore,  should  contain  as  many  home 
games  as  possible,  especially  with  the  opponents 
that  the  team  is  most  anxious  to  defeat.  If  the 
school  has  any  particular  rival  it  should  be  sched- 
uled when  the  home  team  is  most  likely  to  be 
playing  in  its  best  form,  which  is  usually  at  the 
end  of  the  schedule.  The  easiest  games  should 
come  first  and  the  hardest  ones  last,  the  final  game 
being  one  that  will  keep  the  players  interested 
and  working  hard  right  up  to  the  final  day.  If 
weak  teams  are  scheduled  toward  the  end  of  the 


ADMINISTRATION  225 

season  there  is  a  tendency  not  only  for  the  team 
but  also  the  crowd  to  lose  its  enthusiasm. 

When  arranging  for  a  trip  it  is  best  not  to 
schedule  more  than  three  games.  Coaches  differ 
in  their  opinion  as  to  which  of  the  days  the  team 
will  play  the  best  ball  when  on  the  road.  The 
writers  have  observed  that  in  most  cases  a  team 
plays  best  the  first  and  third  days.  The  schedule 
should  not  be  too  long.  Ten  to  fourteen  cham- 
pionship games  are  sufficient  and  the  last  game 
should  be  over  by  early  spring.  Basket  ball  is 
primarily  an  indoor  sport  and  it  loses  its  attrac- 
tion and  fascination  when  the  weather  begins  to 
grow  warm. 

The  work  involved  in  the  local  preparation  for 
basket-ball  games  is  becoming  more  extensive 
each  year.  This  is  true  in  all  branches  of  school 
sports.  Formerly,  it  was  a  very  simple  matter  to 
arrange  a  schedule,  secure  officials,  take  care  of 
the  crowd,  and  manage  the  game,  but  with  basket 
ball  increasing  in  popularity,  and  more  and  more 
interest  being  shown  in  the  sport,  the  problem  of 
administration  has  become  much  more  difficult. 
Basket  ball  is  our  most  popular  indoor  sport. 
In  many  schools  the  interest  is  so  great  that  the 
gymnasium  cannot  accommodate  the  crowds.  As 
a  result,  more  attention  and  care  is  being  given 
to  the  various  phases  of  its  management. 


226  BASKET   BALL 

The  first  step  in  preparation  for  a  game  is  to 
see  that  it  is  properly  advertised.  In  some  schools 
there  is  a  publicity  department  that  handles  all 
this  work,  but  usually  it  falls  upon  the  manager 
of  the  team.  The  most  common  method  of  ad- 
vertising is  through  the  use  of  the  college  and 
town  or  city  newspapers  and  the  distribution  of 
posters.  All  of  these  are  of  value,  but  the  best 
way  of  insuring  a  good  crowd  is  to  create  an  in- 
terest and  work  up  enthusiasm  among  the  stu- 
dents through  the  various  school  organizations. 
Try  to  have  as  many  of  the  students  as  possible 
feel  a  responsibility  for  the  support  of  the  team. 
Feature  the  important  games  and  make  a  drive 
aiming  at  one  hundred-per-cent  attendance. 
Turn  the  management  of  certain  games  over 
entirely  to  the  school  and  alumni  organizations. 
Make  a  certain  group  responsible  for  one  game 
and  a  second  group  for  another,  and  so  on.  A 
good  way  to  get  all  the  alumni  interested  is  to 
turn  one  or  two  games  over  to  them. 

The  officials  of  a  basket-ball  game  are  a  referee, 
an  umpire,  two  timekeepers,  and  two  scorers. 
Whether  or  not  a  game  is  run  off  satisfactorily 
depends,  to  a  large  extent,  upon  their  efficiency. 
It  is  very  important  that  they  all  know  their 
duties  and  are  perfectly  capable  of  handling  any 
situation  that  may  arise  during  the  game.     Too 


ADMINISTRATION  aar 

much  emphasis  cannot  be  laid  upon  the  importance 
of  getting  competent  and  impartial  officials.  It 
may  be  a  little  more  expensive  to  get  good  men, 
but  it  always  pays  and  the  investment  is  worth 
while.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  engage  incompetent 
officials  and  thus  spoil  a  good  game  in  order  to 
save  a  little  money.  Arranging  for  the  officials 
should  be  taken  up  far  enough  ahead  of  the  game, 
so  that  the  matter  can  be  satisfactorily  settled 
with  the  visiting  team.  While  the  home  team 
assumes  the  responsibility  of  engaging  the  officials, 
they  should  be  mutually  agreed  upon.  It  is  a 
good  policy  to  submit  a  list  of  officials  to  the  visit- 
ing team  and  choose  the  men  from  those  accepta- 
ble to  your  opponents.  In  many  places  there  are 
lists  of  officials  who  have  been  approved  by  the 
particular  organization  in  that  section,  and  it  is 
well  to  choose  men  from  that  list. 

It  sometimes  saves  misunderstanding  and  trou- 
ble if  the  officials,  captains,  and  coaches  of  the 
teams  get  together  before  the  game  and  have  a 
short  discussion  on  the  interpretation  of  the  rules. 
This  is  of  importance  because  the  rules  are  so 
differently  interpreted  by  the  various  coaches  and 
officials. 

The  duty  of  the  scorers  is  to  record  the  goals 
made,  the  fouls  committed,  and  to  notify  the 
referee  as  soon  as  the  fourth  personal  foul  has 


228  BASKET  BALL 

been  called  on  any  player.  A  satisfactory  way  to 
do  is  to  use  one  local  man  and  some  one  who  is 
accompanying  the  visiting  team.  Each  should 
use  his  own  score-book  and  compare  scores  after 
each  goal. 

The  timekeepers  can  be  chosen  the  same  way 
as  the  scorers.  Their  duty  is  to  keep  a  time  record 
of  the  game,  noting  when  the  game  starts,  deduct- 
ing time  taken  out  during  the  game  and  designat- 
ing when  each  half  is  over.  The  suggestion  of  the 
official  Rules  Committee  that  the  timekeepers 
use  one  watch  placed  where  both  can  see  it  is  a 
good  one. 

There  are  several  matters  which  sometimes 
cannot  be  attended  to  until  the  day  of  the  game. 
Unfortunately,  some  of  them  are  too  often  put 
off  until  the  game  is  ready  to  start.  A  great  deal 
of  care  should  be  used  in  getting  the  gymnasium 
ready,  in  putting  up  seats  to  accommodate  the 
crowd,  in  seeing  that  there  is  good  light  and  venti- 
lation and  making  sure  that  the  court,  including 
the  baskets  and  backboards,  meets  the  official 
requirements.  Another  matter  to  be  arranged  is 
the  care  of  the  visiting  teams  and  officials.  This 
should  mean  having  some  one  meet  them  at  the 
train,  conduct  them  to  their  hotel,  and  entertain 
them  while  they  are  in  town.  In  the  gymnasium 
both   the   teams    and  officials  should  have  good 


FIG.  24.    INCORRECT  GUARDING.  FOUL. 


ADMINISTRATION  229 

dressing-rooms  and  be  supplied  with  everything 
they  need  in  preparation  for  the  game.  The  im- 
pression that  a  visiting  team  gets  of  a  school  de- 
pends a  great  deal  on  the  way  they  are  received 
and  treated  by  those  in  charge.  It  is  always 
desirable  to  establish  and  maintain  as  pleasant 
social  relations  between  teams  as  possible,  and 
much  can  be  done  to  accomplish  this  by  just  a 
little  care  and  attention  to  the  ordinary  courtesies 
which  we  should  be  willing  to  extend  to  our  visi- 
tors. 


CONCLUSION 

Basket  ball  is  a  game  which,  through  ignorance 
of  principles  and  purposes,  may  easily  degenerate 
into  a  rough-and-tumble  affair  in  which  not  only 
the  spectators  lose  interest,  but  from  which  the 
players  themselves  derive  little  or  no  benefit  and 
may  be  even  worse  off  for  having  played  the  game. 
On  the  other  hand,  when  well  organized,  properly 
supervised,  and  played,  it  is  one  of  the  best  sports 
to  develop  interest  and  enthusiasm  on  the  part 
of  the  spectators  and  for  the  player's  physical, 
mental,  and  social  betterment.  No  game  develops 
to  a  greater  extent  qualities  of  virile  manhood 
and  good  citizenship  than  basket  ball.  The  game 
demands  skill,  speed,  and  endurance.  The  suc- 
cessful player  must  be  able  to  think  quickly  and 
clearly.  Situations  change  rapidly  in  basket  ball 
and  but  little  time  is  given  to  size  up  the  play 
and  determine  the  player's  line  of  attack.  Good 
team-work  is  essential  for  the  success  of  the  team, 
rhis  means  co-operation.  Self  has  to  be  sacri- 
ficed to  the  team  as  a  whole.  Due  to  the  fact  that 
the  game  is  so  fast  and  played  on  such  a  small 
court,  situations  are  constantly  arising  which 
demand  self-control.     Finally,  the  game  calls  for 

130 


CONCLUSION  231 

a  fighting  and  courageous  spirit.  The  man  or  boy 
must  not  only  keep  himself  fit  and  in  good  condi- 
tion, but  he  must  have  that  determination  which 
characterizes  a  fighter  and  which  will  carry  him 
through  a  long  and  strenuous  basket-ball  season. 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


GV 

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W21b    Basket  ball, 
cop*  2 


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